65 of the 150 psalms in our Bible are designated in one way or other ‘psalms of lament.’ A lament is an expression of grief or sorrow or complaint, and synonyms include words like ‘bemoan’, ‘regret’, ‘bewail’ and ‘bawl’, not to mention ‘beat one’s breast’ or ‘eat one’s heart out.’ We may be surprised, and even a little afraid, of the fact that so many of the psalms seem to involve complaining and sorrowing. The upbeat psalms of thanksgiving are surely more inspirational than wading through verses like ‘Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?’ (Ps 10:1) and tales of woe and enemies (e.g. Ps 44:15-16).
Many of us feel that we must be resolutely positive and upbeat on all occasions. We are called to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18) and rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4), and so we reason that lament, grief, sorrow and regret are all emotions better suppressed than expressed.
The Psalmists wouldn’t agree with that interpretation at all. Every emotion, every situation, every grief and hurt are poured out before God in the Psalms, and if 43% of our prayer book consists of lament, we must not be afraid of expressing such emotions before God. The fact is that life is difficult and full of pain. Instead of fleeing from pain, seeking numbness in analgesia, we need to face up to the pain that comes from living in a fallen world, acknowledge the disappointment we feel when people let us down and when God seems strangely silent and far off and embrace true honesty, even if it stings. Far better to bring those feelings to God than to hide them away.
The Psalms of Lament often begin in despair and distress, but by a steadfast focussing on who God is and what He has done in the past tend to move towards hope and trust. Ps 22 begins with the plaintive ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?’ (Ps 22:1, quoted by Jesus as He hung on the cross), but finds hope as the psalmist declares ‘those who seek the Lord will praise Him.’ (Ps 22:26) The raw honesty of these psalms not only give us permission to be brutally real and honest with God ourselves, but leads us into prayer that does not end in despair.