Lament
is a major theme
in the Bible and particularly
In the
book of Psalms
To lament is to
express deep sorrow, grief, or regret.
The psalms of lament are
beautiful poems or hymns
expressing human
struggles
Just like
SMOKE
Rising UP from the SECTion of Fear
The psalms of lament
comprise the largest category of psalms,
making up about one third of the entire book of Psalms.
These psalms are prayers
that lay out a
troubling situation
to the Lord
and make a
request for His help
There are two types of lament psalms:
community and individual
Community psalms of lament deal with situations of national crisis—they describe problems faced by all the people of God.
The psalms of lament are poetic hymns meant to be sung to God.
They deal with issues that were and still are central to the life of faith for individual believers and the whole community of faith.
The lament psalms
express intense emotions,
real human struggles,
and the anguish of heart
experienced by the
people of Israel
Through
A
LOT
of
Inherited
Seeding
Requirements
like carrying the
WEIGHT of an
ARK
Of Covenant Testimony
as they lived out their faith
individually and corporately.
It Really takes A LOT of
InSIGHT, LIVED wisdom,
and
REFINED UNDERSTANDING
to
JUDGE
and STEER
the
Direction
of
the Ship
CORRECTLY
The men and women of the Old Testament
were as real as we are today.
They danced and sang,
rejoiced and laughed,
argued and confessed, lamented and mourned.
They expressed emotions to God in prayer just as we do today.
When we encounter
difficult struggles and
need God’s rescue, salvation, and help,
the psalms of lament are a good place to turn.
The great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther treasured the psalms of lament.
Of them, he said,
“What is the greatest thing in the Psalter
but this earnest speaking amid the storm
winds of every kind? . . .
Where do you find deeper, more sorrowful,
more pitiful words of sadness than in the
psalms of lamentation?
There again
you look into the
hearts of the saints,
as into death, yes,
as into hell
itself. . . .
When they speak of fear and hope,
they use such words that
no painter could so depict for
your
fear or hope,
and no Cicero or other orator has so portrayed them.
And that they speak
these words to God and with God,
this I repeat, is the best thing of all.
This gives the words
double
earnestness and life”
Like the whole book of Psalms,
the psalms of lament follow a pattern
that begins with suffering
and ends with
glory
Usually,
these songs start on a negative, complaining note,
but they end on a
positive, faith-filled note.
A lament typically opens with an address. For example, Psalm 44:1 says simply, “O God,” and Psalm 22 begins, “My God, my God.” A psalm of lament will contain a complaint:
"Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered” (Psalm 44:22).
A request to God for help
will be found in a psalm of lament
'Awake, Lord!
Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself!
Do not reject us forever” (Psalm 44:23).
A psalm of lament will incorporate an affirmation of trust in God,
often remembering
His previous acts of faithfulness:
"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation”
(Psalm 13:5).
And, finally, a psalm of lament will contain a
glorious vow of praise to God:
“I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he
has been good to me”
(Psalm 13:6).
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