(By Rachel Joyce)
He stood in silent dignity
Before the onslaught
Of malicious accusations,
No still, small voice,
No thundering from heaven,
Not a word from the Word.
It was not weakness, but power
Restrained, contained, as He
Endured my condemnation.
All the way from Pilate’s
Judgment hall, to Calvary’s
Cross, where He hung for me.
The darkness enshrouded
His beaten body, anguished spirit
As, all alone, He suffered for me.
Wave after wave of judgment
Swept over His holy soul
As He bore what my sins had earned.
And when He had fully, absolutely
Atoned, His cry pierced the darkness,
“Finished!” My redemption completed.
And I cannot keep silent — in the face
Of such grace, my praises burst forth,
And will continue for all eternity.
“Oh, what a Saviour! Hallelujah!
Worthy is my Lord to be adored!
I praise Your name forevermore!”
Verses used:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:,7).
“When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge — to the great amazement of the governor” (Matthew 27:12-14).
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life” (Matthew 27:50-52).
John explains Jesus’ loud cry in more detail: “Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).