For years I have read the psalms.
These prayers of Israel – which became the prayers of Jesus and the prayers of his church – have steered me through so many seasons of life. When I have experienced blessings, the words of Psalm 136 have sprung from my lips: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” When I have fumbled in the darkness, the words of Psalm 13 have guided my cries: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” And, like so many of you, I have been comforted by those familiar words of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Whether we realize it or not, we have all been shaped by the psalms.
One of most significant genres of psalms is the Psalms of Lament. This is a broad category within the Psalter (the book of Psalms) in which either an individual or the community expresses lament – which is a very particular spiritual discipline in the Bible. Lament doesn’t mean pretending that a problem does not exist (which is really just denial), nor does it mean letting a problem take over one’s life (which usually winds up leading to despair); no, lament is something unique. When God’s people lament, they name a particular sin or struggle, they grieve over it, and then they offer it up to the Lord for redemption. For this reason, lamenting is not a depressing act — but a hopeful one.
In this next season of our life together, we are going to pray the Psalms of Lament – for ourselves, our community, and our world.
Many of us continue to feel anxious, lonely, angry, or afraid. What can we do? We can pray the psalms. Our community is wracked with divisions and discord, with calls for justice and cries for peace. What can we do? We can pray the psalms. Our country is entering into one of the most contentious election cycles in recent memory. What can we do? We can pray the psalms. Why? Because this is what Israel did. Because this is what Jesus did and does. And because this is what the church has done for centuries. I invite you to join us as we pray these prayers together.
Click here for a PDF of the psalms we will be studying this fall. You can print this document, cut out each psalm, and pray through them week-by-week.
In hope,
Blake