Patterns of the Life of Faith

(a) being securely oriented
(b) being painfully disoriented
(c) being surprisingly reoriented   _{(Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith (Fortress, 1995)}

Types of laments

• Corporate lament E.g. Psalms 12, 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129
• Personal lament E.g. Psalms 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27*, 28, 31, 36*, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52*, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 69, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89*, 120, 139, 141, 142
• Lament of repentance E.g. Ps.6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143
• Lament of imprecation E.g. Psalms 35, 69, 88, 109, 137, 140

STRUCTURE OF THE "LAMENT" PSALM

• INTRODUCTORY CRY: "O God," "Help me . . ."
• LAMENT PROPER: "I'm hurting," "The enemy is winning . . . "
  • Introduction to pain and hurt being experienced.
  • Addresses God directly, and may be accusatory, for inattention to plight.
  • Calls attention to success of the wicked.
• CONFESSION OF TRUST: "I still trust in You . . ."
• REASONS FOR GOD TO ACT: "I've been a good person."
• PETITIONS: "Hear me . . ." "Save me . . ."

Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
³ Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, "I have prevailed"; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
⁵ But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

"We are mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore" _{(Howard Beal in Network)}

Features of Lament

1. Not religious: in the sense of courtesy, politeness or deference
2. Hyperbole
3. Yet calls God by name
4. And expects a response

Further Reading

• Eugene Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer (Harper, 1991). _{Beautifully crafted and inspiring guide for appreciating (even the difficult) features of the Psalms and using them in personal prayer.}
• Walter Brueggemann, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit(Cascade, 2007). _{A short guide, which both nurtures and challenges.}
• Sally A. Brown & Patrick D Miller (eds), Lament: Reclaiming Practices in Pulpit, Pew and Public Square (Westminster John Knox, 2007). _{A little more technical, much of written as a response to 9-11.}