Jesus was facing His death, and it troubled Him deeply. Barnes says the mention of His death "brought before him its approaching horrors, its pains, its darkness, its unparalleled woes," and he calls "what shall I say?" "an expression denoting intense anxiety and perplexity." Gill describes it as spoken "as if he knew not what to say." The question weighs two possible prayers: to ask to be spared the hour, or to embrace the purpose for which He came.

Jesus answered His own question. He set aside "Father, save me from this hour" with the words, "but for this cause came I unto this hour" (John 12:27). Then He prayed, "Father, glorify thy name." God answered from heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again" (John 12:28). Some of the people said it thundered; others said an angel spoke (John 12:29).

The word "troubled" is tarasso, which Thayer defines in part as to "take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity; to disquiet, make restless." John uses the same verb when Jesus "groaned in the spirit, and was troubled" at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:33), and when He "was troubled in spirit" before naming His betrayer (John 13:21). Commentators read "Father, save me from this hour" in two ways. Barnes reads it as a question Jesus weighs and then rejects, since He came to die and "it would not be proper to pray to be delivered from it." Matthew Henry reads it as a real prayer: "Christ was willing to suffer, yet prayed to be saved from suffering." Either way, Jesus ends by praying for the Father's glory.

This is one of the clearest windows into the heart of Jesus in John's Gospel. He did not face the cross with calm detachment. His soul was troubled, and He said so out loud. Barnes compares this to His words in the garden, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matthew 26:38). Matthew Henry writes, "Prayer against trouble may well agree with patience under it."

And the Father answered. The voice from heaven shows that God was not distant from His Son's distress. Jesus then explains what the hour means: "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out," and "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:31-32). The hour that troubled Him was the hour of the world's rescue.