Deep Were His Wounds and Red
Deep were His wounds and red
The hymn presents Christ's crucifixion with unflinching realism, viewing His wounds as the efficacious means of human redemption and reconciliation with God. This reflects Lutheran emphasis on justification through Christ's substitutionary atonement and the centrality of the cross in Christian faith.
History & Background
Written by William Cowper in 1771 as part of his Olney Hymns collection, this text emphasizes the reality and significance of Christ's wounded body. It became widely adopted in Protestant hymnals throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 360
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 100
- Lutheran Worship — 71
Bulletin Note
Written by English hymnodist William Cowper in 1771, this Common Meter hymn presents Christ's crucifixion with unflinching realism, viewing His wounds as efficacious payment for human sin—central to Lutheran soteriology.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Law-Gospel dialectic: humanity's sin demands justice, yet Christ's wounds satisfy that justice and transform condemnation into reconciliation, making the cross the fulcrum of Christian faith.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law (human unworthiness and peril) → Gospel (Christ's substitutionary sacrifice) → Response (eternal praise and rejoicing)
Themes
Atonement Christ's Passion Redemption through Christ's blood Sacrificial love