Suffering from Gethsemane to Calvary

Lord

You suffered and were ravaged

By the cruelty of men.

From Gethsemane to Calvary

Men oppressed and judged You then;

Our transgressions caused You wounding

Pain and suffering all consuming

’Til a breach in Your communing

Caused You grief unknown from birth.

From the garden to Golgotha

All You passed through proved Your worth.

You had one friend who betrayed You

With a kiss

to hate-filled men

And another who denied You

Out of fear towards all of them.

When they took You as their prisoner

Questioned You

their anger bitter

And then mocked You

thought a sinner

You did not Yourself defend.

You were mute and long-enduring

With a view to reach Your end.

The Sanhedrin sought to weaken

Your endurance and Your strength

Then delivered You to Pilate

Whose men scourged You

whipped at length.

At Golgotha

soldiers stripped You

And with violent pounding nailed You

To Your cross

through joint and sinew

There to hang upon the tree

Where bystanders mocked

despising

Wagging heads contempt’ously.

Those who hated You were staring

No respect

their visage hard.

Soldiers gambled for Your garments

While Your strength dried like a shard.

Like hot wax

Your heart was melting.

Gravity each joint was rending.

In Your mouth

Your tongue was cleaving.

As Your weight each breath then stole

Your ordeal made all the harder

When God made You sin for all.

At the noon hour

when God judged You

Laid on You the whole of sin

God’s dear presence fled

departed

From Your fellowship within.

This was much worse than the violence;

This forsaking—dreaded silence

All the scorn of men’s derision

Paling in comparison

To the scope of God’s own judgement

Poured upon His only Son.

After three hours

at Your limit

You cried out in agony

In the words of David

Psalmist

“Why have You forsaken Me?”

Saying

“I thirst... It is finished”

You were done

Your work unblemished.

You prayed “Father

into Your hands

I commit My spirit.” Then

With a loud cry

You expired

As Your loved ones grieved again.

When Your death the soldiers noticed

One took up His weighted spear

And he pierced Your side in coldness

Blood and water flowing clear.

From Gethsemane to Calvary

You were broken

suffering greatly.

Wounds innumerable

a fountain

Flowing precious priceless blood

For our sins and our redemption

Reconciling us to God.

Lord

I praise You and I thank You

That You bled and died for me

As I ponder how You loved me

And You gave Yourself for me.

I am filled with love and reverence

Gratitude and deep assurance

You forgive me in Your mercy

By Your blood

for all my sin!

And You joined me to the Father!

Hallelujah

Lord! Amen!