Matthew Starner

Mark 15:33-34
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

At noon, the 6th hour, the sun is hidden. The clouds that were far off in the distance are now shrouding the earth in darkness in the middle of the day. God has turned away from His Son. In pain, he cries out to His Father, but there is no answer. The thunder and the clouds bear no response. He is alone and forsaken, bearing our sins – the sins of all mankind – alone.

As we get closer and closer to Easter, I’m reminded of lots of different songs, mostly hymns, that I grew up singing this time of year. Here two verses of “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed” written about today’s verse.

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut its glories in
When God, the mighty maker, died
For his own creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While his dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.