David Harsha, "The Crucifixion"

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

He drinks the bitter cup of God's wrath due to sin.

The powers of darkness fiercely assail Him.

He enjoys no sensible communion with Heaven.

It is the gloomiest period in His whole life.

But at length His agony is so piercing that He is
constrained to utter the most touching words of grief.

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

His Father; His own Father; in whose bosom He had
lain from eternity; His Father, by whom He was always
beloved; has withdrawn the light of His countenance
from Him; and from His cross arises a most piercing
and agonizing cry.

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

Oh, how mysterious, how solemn, how affecting is
this cry! It is the most doleful that ever came from
the lips of Christ during His sorrowful sojourn from
the manger to the cross.

Ah! why does He hang on yonder cross, uttering
with 'strong crying and tears' these doleful words?

It was not the nails which pierced His hands and feet,
nor the agony of a crucifixion, that caused this mournful cry.

He was now offering Himself a sacrifice for the sins
of the world. As our Surety He suffered all that divine
justice required to bring the sinner back to God and
to glory.

Here is the great mystery of Godliness: the Father
bruises the Son, and puts Him to grief for our sakes;
and all those cries, and tears, and groans of Him,
whom the Father appointed to accomplish our
salvation, were for us.

On His shoulders was laid the enormous load of human guilt.

Oh, what can we render to our Divine Savior
for His amazing and unparalleled love to us?