This post is part of The Seven Words of Jesus series.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
The psalms were our Savior’s prayer book and hymnal. He sang and prayed through them his whole life. He knew that everything in them testified about him and what he came to do.
Little did the psalmist know that his Redeemer would cry out the very words he penned long before Jesus’ crucifixion. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Thus our Savior cried in anguish as darkness covered the land and the wrath of God was poured out upon his one and only Son.
Several times throughout his life, Jesus heard the words from heaven, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Elsewhere, Jesus professed that he knew God always heard him. God always answered his prayers. But here on a dark and lonely hill called Calvary, Jesus’ cry was met with silence. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
God the Father turned his back on his own Son, so that he might never turn his back on us. He forsook his dearly loved Son, so that he might welcome us into his family as his dearly loved children.
Jesus’ cry isn’t for God the Father. It’s for you and me. So that we might know the lengths to which our Savior went to set us free. So that we might know the everlasting love our heavenly Father has for us—how he will never leave or forsake us.
Because God forsook his Son in our place.
Condemned, cut off, forsaken, outside the Father’s care, by terror overtaken, no ear would hear your prayer. On you God’s wrath was vented, on you his fury fell, when, on the cross tormented, you took my place in hell.
(CW 436:4)
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Scripture references come from the Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. Click here to learn more about this translation.
© 2021 Michael D. Schultz, admin. Northwestern Publishing House
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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