The Playlist of Faith - A Series on Psalms - Psalms of Lament

---

Psalms Of Lament

The Lament Psalms make up the largest single group of psalms.

I. Form and Structure of Lament Psalms

Lament psalms typically contain a sequence of elements, though the order and inclusion of all parts can vary (e.g., Psalm 88 is a rare exception that ends without a final expression of trust).

1. Essential Elements: There are five standard components of a lament psalm.

   • Identify where each element (e.g., Invocation/Address to God, Complaint/Lament, Petition/Request for Help, Confession of Trust/Confidence, and Vow of Praise) appears in a specific example, like Psalm 13 or Psalm 22.

2. Literary Devices: Look at the use of literary features such as metaphor (e.g., being in the pit, the waves of chaos), simile, and hyperbole in the psalmist's description of their distress.

   • How do these poetic devices intensify the emotional impact of the prayer?

3. Thematic Shift: 

   • What is the significance of the "turn" or shift in mood, which moves the psalmist from intense complaint or despair to an expression of confidence or hope?

   • What does this shift tell us about the nature of biblical faith and prayer?

4. Exceptions:

   • How does a psalm like Psalm 88, which ends in darkness ("darkness is my only friend"), challenge or deepen our understanding of the typical lament structure?

II. Theological and Relational Themes

Lament psalms offer a profound glimpse into the biblical understanding of the relationship between God and humanity, particularly in the face of suffering.

1. Honesty Before God: 

   • Why is the frank, often aggressive, complaint and questioning of God (Protest) a necessary and godly form of prayer, rather than simply "grumbling" or sin?

   • What does this honesty reveal about the nature of the covenant relationship?

2. Questioning God's Character: 

   • What specific attributes of God (e.g., God's power, justice, covenant faithfulness, or presence) does the psalmist appear to call into question in their distress?

   • How is the act of lamenting to God—instead of abandoning God—ultimately an affirmation of these same attributes?

3. Justification for God's Action (Motive Clauses): 

   • What motives does the psalmist offer to persuade God to act? (e.g., for the sake of God's name, to prevent the enemy from gloating, or because the psalmist has nowhere else to turn).

   • How do these motives relate to the covenant?

4. Memory and Hope: 

   • How does the psalmist often use the memory of God's past saving acts or the tradition of the fathers (especially in communal laments like Psalm 44 and Psalm 77) as a basis for present petition and future hope?

III. Individual vs. Communal Lament

Laments are categorised by their speaker: an individual ("I/me") or the entire community ("we/us").

1. Context of Suffering: 

   • What different circumstances typically prompt individual laments (e.g., sickness, personal enemies, false accusation) versus communal laments (e.g., military defeat, plague, national humiliation)?

2. Corporate Responsibility: 

   • In communal laments, to what extent is the community's suffering attributed to their sin or to external enemies?

   • How does this compare to how the individual psalmist may assess their own situation? (Consider, for example, the lament in Psalm 79).

3. Vow of Praise: 

   • Why is the vow of praise typically public?

   • What is the social and liturgical function of an individual promising to praise God before deliverance has occurred?

IV. Application and Interpretation

1. Relevance to New Testament: 

   • How does Jesus' cry on the cross ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") relate to the tradition of lament, specifically Psalm 22?

   • What theological significance does this connection hold?

2. Lament in Modern Worship: 

   • Why is the practice of lament often underrepresented in our churches?

   • What are the potential consequences of a faith that emphasises praise and thanksgiving while neglecting the language of complaint and honest struggle?

3. Lament as a Spiritual Discipline: 

   • How can the structure of the lament psalms be used as a model for a person's private prayer life in times of crisis, helping them to move constructively through pain towards renewed trust?

4. Imprecatory Psalms: Some laments include a petition for God's judgment upon the enemies (known as imprecation, e.g., Psalm 109).

   • How should a modern reader interpret and apply these ethically challenging passages within the context of Christian ethics and the teachings of Jesus?