“About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:4646And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)).
Out of the darkness comes that solemn cry,
“Eli, lama sabachthani”;
What language can this be that from the cross
Tells out the Saviour’s agony and loss?
By God forsaken on that awful tree,
He bore the judgment that was due to me;
My sins were added to His heavy load;
Because of me He bore the wrath of God.
There God forsook Thee, precious Lord, for me;
There God, Thy God, must turn His back on Thee;
So in the light of glory I can stand,
Joined by the ransomed host, a heavenly band.
Who knows the answer to that dreadful cry,
Wrung from the lips of Him who came to die?
A willing sacrifice, for He alone
Could for the sins of this poor world atone.
My God, my God, Thy grace has set me free,
Because of Him who suffered there for me;
He was forsaken; for my sins He died,
And now with Him I’m risen and glorified.
E I. (July 1999)