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While singing Night, with Ebon Pinion in church yesterday, I realized for the first time that it may not be biblically correct.  Specifically, the second stanza:

Smitten for offenses
Which were not His own,
He, for our transgressions,
Had to weep alone;

No friend with words to comfort,
Nor hand to help was there,
When the Meek and Lowly
Humbly bowed in prayer.

Is this contrary to Luke 22:43, "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him"?

And if so, should we continue to sing this song?  Can we just omit verse 2?

It's a valid catch, I suppose, but I think twd may be right about the lyricist's intent.  Is there a background available for the song that shed's light?

I've got a book with a slew of hymn backgrounds...if I can find it.  A year after the move and 1/2 my library is still in boxes.

According to Mike Riley at PF:

"Night With Ebon Pinion"

We might ask, what (or who) is "Ebon Pinion"? Ebon refers to the color, black (as related to ebony). A "pinion" is a bird's wing. The setting of this song, as in the one above, is the Lord's great agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. This series of events was so dark and somber that it was as though a great black bird, bearing doom, had cast its shadow over the Lord as He knelt to pray in the garden.

I've found people can't even pronounce some of these words anymore.  I led "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" last Sunday.  I heard multiple pronunciations of "trysting."  I suspect I would have gotten multiple guesses as to its meaning, had I asked.  And people are afraid of raising Ebenezers.

I blame television.  Of course, I blame it for lots of things.

For Tinamatt, Ebon Pinion refers to black (ebon) wings (pinion). Like night is floating in on black wings.
Growing up I thought Ebon Pion was one of two things. Either a guy Jesus spent the night with ("since he had no place to go Jesus spent the night with Ebon and Bertha Pinon. A nice elderly couple.") or it was another name for Jesus ("wonderful counselor, almighty God, the everlasting Father, Ebon Pinion.")
It makes me wonder how many people get anything out of this song.

Jesus was weeping all alone for a period of time.

some hymnals contain a glossary of poetic terms.
some congregations don't use hymnals.

i can see no valid reason to participate in hymnological 'dumbing down'.
church music directors have often been in the forefront of supplying the training and understanding valuable in hymn use.  the more we know, the more versatile we can be.
expansion to comprehension of old and new provides more 'tools in the shed'.

dj