Psalms of Lament: You Need Them Whether You Like It or Not

“Man, that worship service was a real downer.”

Over the years, I have heard this complaint about a sermon or music played at a service that was somber or heavy in feel. Our culture tends to emphasis the brighter feelings of happiness and celebration and we feel uncomfortable with grief and sorrow. So, when a religious service has that heavier tone, we don’t usually respond with approval. I have noticed over the years that even at funerals… surely the most appropriate setting for grief… that people want to ‘celebrate’ the life of the deceased and not mourn their passing.

I don’t mean to imply that we should not ‘celebrate’ a person’s life at a funeral or that worship services shouldn’t be a time of celebration. My point is that we don’t like entertaining sad thoughts and feelings.

Yet, in God’s song book… the Psalms… the psalm of lament is the most common kind of psalm. It is the emotion most commonly expressed. Why? First, life in ancient times was full of hardship and heartbreak. Infant morality was high. Disease and famine were common. Foreign powers often invaded and plundered (is this much different than the news we watch everyday?). God wanted his people to bring that to Him. When I see a long face on my son, I call my child to me and say, “tell me what’s on your heart and mind.” And here is a taste of how God's children responded:

Psalm 13
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Are these sentiments appropriate for worship? Are the appropriate in any setting? Whether they are ‘appropriate’ or not… whether we comfortable with these feelings or not… we have them. In fact, we have them quite often. Bottling them up inside or denying them doesn’t change that fact.

But God’s grace creates a context where we have the freedom to express even ‘inappropriate’ feeling that in meeting with God honestly… whether in stated worship or in private… He might address our questions and hurt… that he might transform the pain into something beautiful, just as He turned the torture of the cross into the triumph of resurrection.

Do you trust God enough to be your ugly and wounded self with Him? Do you have the courage to worship through the laments of the Psalms? In that uncomfortable and ‘downer’ moment, you might find that something amazing might happen.