The Anatomy of Lament

The great 4^th century Church Father, Athanasius once said: “The Psalms have a unique place in the Bible because [whereas] most of Scripture speaks to us, the Psalms speak for us.” No truer words have been spoken. When we open up the book of Psalms, we find 150 of the most compelling, captivating, and heart wrenching prayers ever uttered. And a full third of these can be categorized as “laments.” What is a lament? It is a psalm of complaint that names, often in graphic detail, the agonies and injustices of life. As Martin Luther once said, in a lament “you look into the hearts of the saints” and what you see there is a potent mixture of pain … and hope. In my study The Epic of Eden: The Book of Psalms I say that to read a lament is to watch an ancient believer as they stand against the storm.

For a modern believer to pray a lament is to allow the ancients to join you in the midst of your storm. 

Most of the laments in our Bibles are written in response to one of two crises: (1) social persecution, and (2) illness. I find it so interesting that these are the blows that can knock the strongest to their knees—then and now. To find oneself isolated from what had been your community; or to have your body fail you, these are the darkest of days. This is the isolation of a pain that no one else can feel. When there is either no hand to help, or no hand that can help. Equally interesting to me is the fact that whereas we are allowed to ask for help with the second (illness)—announce it as a prayer request, post details on social media, have hands laid upon us at the altar—the former is something we hide. You will likely not be sharing about your husband’s pornography addiction that is decimating your young marriage. Or that your boss has passed you over for a promotion you deserve because of the deceit of a colleague. And you for sure will not be posting that you’re in need of prayer because you’re being investigated at work for potentially discriminatory behavior, or that your daughter is struggling with suicidal thoughts because of an abortion. That kind of “knock the wind out of you” betrayal, bias, slander, and injury … we don’t share those with the community. And it is expressly in this hour where the power of lament tips the scales.

Every psalm of lament in your Bible has five elements. (1) An address of praise to God for his mighty acts in the past; (2) a complaint of distress; (3) a protest of innocence; (4) a petition for deliverance; and always (5) a declaration of confidence in God’s faithfulness and a vow to praise him … regardless. These literary features may be mixed and matched as the psalmist wishes, but each one is in there. 

So let’s take a look at Psalm 70, a brief but powerful lament which embodies the pain and fear of a person who’s gotten the wind knocked out of them.

^“Hasten, O God, to save me!
O LORD, come quickly to help me!
²May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace!
³May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" turn back because of their shame.
⁴But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!"
⁵I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God.
YOU are my help and my deliverer!
O LORD, do not delay.”

I hope you can hear that the person who wrote this prayer was scared. They had enemies. And as they looked out on the playing field, the chances that those enemies were going to prevail looked pretty good.  “Please hurry, God,” she cries, “I can’t hang on much longer!”

How about Psalm 62?

^3”How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down-- this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
⁴They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts,  they curse.” 

This person has been falsely accused. In fact, there are folks who are actively plotting to destroy this man with slander. Have you been there? Perhaps you’re a pastor and there is a faction in your church that wants you out. You’ve challenged the status quo and it’ working. You’re watching the complacency that once occupied your pews retreating, and folks are getting excited about outreach. But there is an old guard who isn’t happy about the changes. They’ve started spreading rumors. “Have you seen that new car pastor got last year, wonder where that money came from?” “Hey have you seen how much time he spends with that new woman who just started coming? I hear he’s already recruited her for his personal discipleship group?” So our psalmist, who knows all about the havoc slander can wreak in an honest man’s life, reminds himself:

^“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
⁶He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress,
I will not be shaken.
⁷My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

How many of us have found ourselves suddenly awake at 4:00 am, drenched in sweat, overcome with anxiety because of the crisis bearing down on us? If it hasn’t happened yet, it will. But this Psalmist knows, so he coaches his soul. He recites the mighty acts of God, he reminds himself of the truth. And better yet, this Psalmist reminds us:

^“Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge …
¹¹One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.
¹²Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.”

Athanasius was right. “The Psalms have a unique place in the Bible because [whereas] most of Scripture speaks to us, the Psalms speak for us.” Join me in my study, The Epic of Eden: The Book of Psalms and let’s learn together how the prayers of the ancients can speak into our lives today.