Matthew 27:45-46

The darkness fought, compelled the sun to flee,
And like a conqu’ring army swiftly trod
Across the land, blind fear this despot’s rod.
The noon-day dark illumined tyranny.
Still worse, abandonment by Deity
Brought black despair more deadly than the blood
That ran off with his life. ‘My God, my God’,
Cried Jesus, ‘why have you forsaken me?’
The silence thundered. Heaven’s quiet reigned
Supreme, a shocking, deaf’ning, haunting swell.
Because from answ’ring Jesus, God refrained,
I shall not cry, as he, this cry from hell.
The cry of desolation, black as night,
Shines forth across the world in brilliant light.

This sonnet by D. A. Carson is based on Christ’s fourth saying from the cross. Used by permission from Banner of Truth magazine.