Biblical Lament

Lament– According to Oxford Dictionary, is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

” Lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness.” -Mark Vroegop Dark Clouds Deep Mercy

It is quite uncommon in Christian circles today to encourage biblical lament. Although it is important to point others to Christ and hope in the Lord in the midst of their struggles, to do so at the expense of lament is detrimental to spiritual growth.

As we look at what scripture has to say regarding lament, we need to look no further than Psalms. David, who wrote nearly half of the Psalms, was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” Knowing this, we can with confidence peer into his writings and clearly see examples of biblical lament. As David ran from Saul in Psalms 57 and 59, mourned over his lack of safety in Psalms 17,and was broken over sin and the consequences he would endure because of his sin in Psalm 51. These are but a few examples, but they are rich in lamentation.

David expresses his pain, his feelings of abandonment, fear of man, and frustration over his sin and the sin of others. He uses strong language which is driven by deep emotion and pain. He lays out his heart before God in total honesty.

However, David does not stop there. David knows that the heart is deceitful. He knows that the Lord is good, Sovereign, trustworthy, faithful, and true. No matter what he was feeling, he chose to remind himself of the truth of God’s character and his desire for David’s good, not harm, all the days of his life.

So, why did David not go straight to the reminders of God’s character? Why did he spend time at the beginning of his lament prayers lamenting and complaining regarding his situations? David was raw with the Lord. He was real with the Lord. David took the emotion and pain that I so frequently take to my husband and/or closest friends as a first response, to the Lord.

David knew, to his core, the truth found in Psalm 139:2-4. The Lord knew his thoughts, and that even before a word was on his tongue he knew it altogether!

So, as I ponder why I struggle with the thought of lament, a few reasons come to mind.

1. I have an inaccurate view of what prayer should/ should not look like
2. I often seek the physical and emotional comfort of those closest to me on this earth, prior to seeking my heavenly Father’s comfort and care
3. I feel less holy and ungrateful when thinking of lament

These are excruciatingly difficult to admit, but the Lord is using these realizations to convict me of my sin, ignite a fire in my soul for a deeper, more intimate relationship with him, and to show His glory through the answering of my cries to Him.

Psalm 40 is a Psalm I am seeking to memorize. In a season where I am growing weary of chronic illness and fatigue, this Psalm is the perfect mixture of praise and lament.

I know that some of you reading this are in a season of struggle as well. Though our struggles may differ in nature, the weariness and exasperation of living in a world of sin, pain, and loss is the same. Cry out to the Lord. He is there to listen to you. He can take those hard emotions, questions, and fears. He will be the lifter of your head (Psalm 3:3), and the comforter (2 Cor. 1:3-4) who proves himself faithful (2 Thes 3:3). As we await a day when there will be no need for lamentation, as we are free from our flesh and at home with the Lord, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)