Spurgeon Morning & Evening – April 9, 2026: Weeping at the Cross and God’s Gentleness

Morning: My Sins Laid the Cross Upon Him

Spurgeon:

Amid the rabble rout which hounded the Redeemer to his doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish sought vent in wailing and lamentations-fit music to accompany that march of woe. When my soul can, in imagination, see the Saviour bearing his cross to Calvary, she joins the godly women and weeps with them; for, indeed, there is true cause for grief-cause lying deeper than those mourning women thought. They bewailed innocence maltreated, goodness persecuted, love bleeding, meekness about to die; but my heart has a deeper and more bitter cause to mourn. My sins were the scourges which lacerated those blessed shoulders, and crowned with thorn those bleeding brows: my sins cried ‘Crucify him! crucify him!’ and laid the cross upon his gracious shoulders. His being led forth to die is sorrow enough for one eternity: but my having been his murderer, is more, infinitely more, grief than one poor fountain of tears can express.

Why those women loved and wept it were not hard to guess: but they could not have had greater reasons for love and grief than my heart has. Nain’s widow saw her son restored-but I myself have been raised to newness of life. Peter’s wife’s mother was cured of the fever-but I of the greater plague of sin. Out of Magdalene seven devils were cast-but a whole legion out of me. Mary and Martha were favoured with visits-but he dwells with me. His mother bare his body-but he is formed in me the hope of glory. In nothing behind the holy women in debt, let me not be behind them in gratitude or sorrow.

Love and grief my heart dividing, With my tears his feet I’ll lave- Constant still in heart abiding, Weep for him who died to save.

Reformed Reflection

Calvin would have us see our total depravity here — our sins, not just the Romans or Jews, drove the nails. Edwards calls us to holy affections: grief that produces repentance, love that clings to the Savior. As Continuationists, we affirm the Holy Spirit is still at work, convicting the world of sin and drawing the elect to the cross. Own your guilt. Weep. Then rejoice in the forgiveness won there.

Evening: Thy Gentleness Hath Made Me Great

Spurgeon:

The words are capable of being translated, ‘thy goodness hath made me great.’ David gratefully ascribed all his greatness not to his own goodness, but the goodness of God. ‘Thy providence,’ is another reading; and providence is nothing more than goodness in action. Goodness is the bud of which providence is the flower, or goodness is the seed of which providence is the harvest. […] How gentle have been his corrections! How gentle his forbearance! How gentle his teachings! How gentle his drawings! Meditate upon this theme, O believer. Let gratitude be awakened; let humility be deepened; let love be quickened ere thou fallest asleep to-night.

Reformed Reflection

All our greatness is borrowed. God stoops in humility — the incarnation, the cross, His daily providences — to lift us. This is pure sovereign grace. Calvin rejoiced in such condescension; Spurgeon marvels at it. The same gentle Spirit who moved David works in us today, forming Christ in us. Cast your crowns at His feet and say with David and Spurgeon: ‘Thy gentleness hath made me great.’

Daily Tie-In

This April 9, the morning drives us to contrition at the cross; the evening lifts us in wonder at grace. From tears to triumph — all by His gentleness. In an age of self-exaltation, remember: we contribute our sin, He contributes everything else. Edwards, Calvin, Spurgeon — all point us to Christ. Soli Deo Gloria. The Holy Spirit still applies these truths powerfully today.

NewGrapes Ministries • Reformed & Continuationist • April 9, 2026

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