My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?*
And being in agony, he prayed earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.*
For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.*
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live for ever!*
God of All My Days
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?*
This is from the Psalm of David, exactly the words of Christ, "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"* just before he died on a cross. Is this just a coincidence or is David foreseeing something? We read on "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." David foresaw the suffering of Christ.
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.*
Many speculate what Jesus meant by this, some would even suggest the Father turned his back on the Son, because God is holy and Jesus took on sin. But this would mean God would have to remove His Spirit from him, but how can God separate himself from himself, if they are truly one? Of course would it also mean that God removes his Spirit from us, his children born of Spirit, if we were to sin? We have more insight into what Jesus meant from the words of David. Truly, it is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the trinity, but what I do know is that Jesus was also a man, and this speaks of that.
And being in agony, he prayed earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.*
Have you ever been in such agony? Leonardo Da Vinci described a soldier who sweated blood before battle, a phenomenon where vessels that feed the sweat glans rupture due to extreme physical or emotional stress.* Surely, Christ suffered in his humanity, and this is what David foresaw and experienced. "But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!"* In suffering it is often difficult to trust in God, the mind under duress fails and we cry out in agony, as if God is far away, but He is not. When we put our trust we say as David, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:"* And so I write as I have found.
Jesus was oppressed and afflicted because the Father laid on him all our iniquities. Jesus was man and he was also God but he opened not his mouth like a lamb led to slaughter.* As David writes God the Father did not hide his face from him nor did he hide his face from His Son. David comes to this place, “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”* As did Jesus, your will be done, and in your hands I commit my spirit.* Of course we know the Father desired not an offering nor a sacrifice but a body prepared.* This was the purpose of Jesus, and the Father, "he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him." In the suffering of Christ we see his humanity, and when we participate in his suffering we see as David did, as few have, the true meaning of, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." In our suffering, in our agony, when you feel as if you can sweat blood, remember Christ is our great High Priest who sympathizes with our weakness. Trust in the Lord, he is faithful and trustworthy!