Lament

Structuring Emotion: Biblical Lament
Stacey Gleddiesmith, 2021-07-27

Address:
A biblical lament cries out to God. This is not an internally focused
process of grieving, it is first and foremost a prayer, a
conversation. When we further consider the God to whom we cry,
this aspect of a lament psalm, brief as it may be, takes on even
greater significance—for we cry to a powerful God, to a good and
merciful God, to a just God, and to a God who invites us into
personal relationship with him.

Complaint:
A lament is an honest and specific naming of a situation or
circumstance that is painful, wrong, or unjust—in other words, a
circumstance that is not in alignment with God’s character and
therefore does not make sense within his kingdom. The emotional
tone of the complaint varies, depending on the type of lament
psalm, expressing such emotions as sorrow, remorse, weariness,
anger, disappointment, and doubt.

Request:
A lament expects a response, expects that God will be able to do
something about the situation. Sometimes what is politely termed
the “request” sounds a lot more like a “demand.” Yet these
vehement requests were a common mode of prayer within the
worship of Israel. The request portion of the psalm of lament boils
down, in every psalm, to the essential heart-rending cry of “God,
do something!”

Expression of Trust:
A lament generally contains an explicit expression of trust,
sometimes woven through the complaint and request, and
sometimes concluding the psalm with an almost jarring note of
praise. In fact, sometimes the expression of trust seems such a
startling departure from the rest of the psalm that we sharply
divide the psalm into two portions, naming the first portion
“lament” and the second “praise.” But if we are to understand
biblical lament properly, we must acknowledge that this
expression of trust is part of a psalm of lament. This trust is
possible because of the God on whom we call. Whether our
circumstances change or not, we trust in the character of Yahweh.

Biblical lament is an honest cry to a God who is powerful, good,
and just—a cry that identifies a situation as not in alignment with
God’s person or purposes. It’s a cry that expects an answer from
God, and therefore does not result in despair but in hope,
trust—and even joy.

Praying a Lament Psalm of Your Own:
Address: Think about the God to whom you pray. What do you
know about him that allows you to call on him personally at this
time? God is named in many ways in Scripture. In what way do
you need to name him at this time?

Complaint: In this section, simply pour out your heart to God.
Don’t be afraid to use strong language if you need to. Ask all the
difficult questions you’ve been holding back. God is willing and
able to receive your anger, pain, grief, fear, doubt, confusion…
nothing is off limits when you talk to God. Hold God to account for
the ways in which your circumstances do not align with his person
and his intentions for his kingdom.

Request: Think about what you really need/want God to do right
now. Don’t be afraid to state those requests in strong language.
You don’t need to add “your will be done”—God can add that for
himself. Simply ask God for what you need most in this moment,
holding the specifics of your address in mind. Our God is the God
who hears.

Trust/Praise: Return to thinking about the God to whom you are
praying. If you’re really struggling, you may need to transition
with “but” or “still” before you get to a sense of trust. What can you
lean on in the midst of your distress? What do you know about
God that you are still able to affirm? Does that lead to you toward
praise? If so, be specific. If all you can manage right now is a faint
affirmation of trust, or an acknowledgement of God’s goodness in
the midst of a non-good situation—that’s ok too. Rest in that.

“We must lay before him what is in us,
not what ought to be in us.” 
–C. S. Lewis