Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow

C83 E99 K83 T99
1
’Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow
  The star is dimmed that lately shone;
’Tis midnight in the garden now,
  The suff’ring Savior prays alone.
2
’Tis midnight, and from all removed,
  The Savior wrestles lone with fears—
E’en that disciple whom He loved
  Heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.
3
’Tis midnight, and for other’s guilt
  The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood;
Yet He that hath in anguish knelt
  Is not forsaken by His God.
4
’Tis midnight, and from ether-plains
  Is borne the song that angels know
Unheard by mortals are the strains
  That sweetly soothe the Savior’s woe.
5
Dennis Clough

Falmouth, MA, United States

I believe the real cause of Christ's agony in the garden was the anticipation of being separated from the Triune God as "he who knew no sin, became sin for us".

Psalm 22 shows He trusted in God as a baby on His mother's breast. Even though He was and is the Second person of the Trinity, His relationship with the Father, even as a sinless man had to grow into full maturity. He learned the scriptures and He spent nights in prayer with God His Father.

Contrast the delights of the fullness of His fellowship with His Father, who also delighted in His Son who will now be "cut off". He will experience both spiritual and physical death just as sinners will... deserted by friends and forsaken of God.

The victory of the cross and the resurrection was won by the Savior on His knees in spiritual battle, so intense an Angel came to support Him. Halleluiah, what a Savior!


JT

Charleston, WV, United States

He was as much man as He was God. He took on flesh to be able to help our flesh. He faced every obstacle, fear being one of them, so He could take them to the cross. Read chapter 5 of Hebrews and pay attention to verse 7. He did not fear death, it was the pain and suffering He was going to endure for us that His flesh side feared. He took that fear to the cross so that we would not have to fear.


Jim Stanley

Harvest, AL, United States

When we sang this hymn when I was a child, the congregation pronounced "ether" as "either." I was in my late teens when I realized what "ether plains" meant. Not many hymns begin on the third beat of four four time signature.


Daniel H.

St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Lots of wonderful thoughts here. However, the Lord Jesus did not wrestle with fears. When his disciples were afraid, he said, "Where is your faith?"

He never wained or wavered in faith. His soul was deeply troubled, but he was never afraid. He always trusted entirely in His Father, and because of His faith (He overcame the world), He could say to His disciples, "Fear not, for I have overcome the world."


Mary Nissley

Indian Valley, VA, United States

Such an incredible song if played and/or sung with the pathos the words communicate!

The piano needs to be slowed down, and played with much more feeling.

Stanza 4 is replaced:

4. 'Tis midnight, and the prayer is through;

Now sure this cup won't pass Him by,

The Father's will He'll gladly do:

Go, bear the sinners' sins, and die.