LamentA G U I D E F O R L E A R N I N G

H O W T O E X P R E S S S O R R O W

An InvitationThis summer, we’re inviting our church toengage in a process that will help us grow asadvocates of justice and racial reconciliation. In June, we began by listening and learning.We want to continue to listen and learn byasking questions, having conversations,reading, and forming new friendships, whilewe move to the next step in the process –Lament.

During July, we’re encouraging you to learnwhat it means to lament. Here we provide afew resources for you to explore what theBible says about lamenting. We invite you tospend time looking at these resources andseeking out more information.

After studying what it means to lament, weencourage everyone to write one or morelaments of your own by the end of the month.Here we provide several examples of how towrite a lament. You can follow one of thetemplates or write a lament as you feel led.

Finally, on Friday, July 31st, we’re going tofast together as a church and pray thelaments that we have written. All of thelaments will be anonymous. Even so, you donot have to share your lament, but for thosewho are willing to do so, we’re going tocompile the laments we have written andsend them out for our church to read and prayduring the day of fasting.

Let’s make July a month of learning to lamentinjustice, sin, apathy and brokenness.

Lament doesn’t reside in the mysteriousrealm, having recourse only to the brokenpre-linguistic syllables of pain such as“oy” or “vay.” In lamentation, languageoperates in full gear, reality doesn’t makesense anymore, everyone has betrayed,but the language has stayed intact; it isthe only weapon left.

To better understand laments, spend timereading these laments found in scripture.Also, read the articles below and do somestudying of your own.

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF LAMENTS:Communal Psalms of Lament: 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 85, 90

Individual Psalms of Lament: 13, 22, 42, 43, 55, 88, 142

Lamentations 3 (and the whole book)

LINKS TO READ MORE:Franciscan Lament

The Gospel Coalition on Lament

The Power of Lament

Reasons Christians Need to Lament

Lament in Jewish Thought

What is a lament?

LAMENT: an expression of sorrow or regret,crying out in grief, mourning, a complaint.

The Hebrew word eikhah, which istranslated “how,” is a central feature ofJewish laments in both narrative andpoetic writing. “How?” is the spiritualquestion at the heart of lament, not “why?”- “How is this possible?” not, “Why is thishappening?”

A lament is honest indignation and isinherently directed toward God. It ismarked by the language of bewilderment,trauma (such as abandonment, death,societal devastation, etc.), the sensation ofabuse, disillusionment, and a loss of trust.

Lamentation is not a state of shock inwhich the bearer of devastation or itswitness surrenders to muteness, or lapsesinto utter silence.

Templates for writing your lament

Before looking at the templates and writing your own lament, it is helpful to writedown answers to the following questions.

1. What is your complaint? What is upsetting to you? What injustice do you see?What is the issue? What are you grieving over? What are you mad at God about?What questions do you have for God? How do you feel?

2. What is your confession? How have you contributed to the complaint? What doyou need to repent of? What have you done or left undone? How have you beenblind to or complicit in your complaint? Where has your thinking been off? How doyou need to change?

3. What is your prayer? What do you want to see God do? What do you want tohappen? How do you want it to happen? What needs to happen for your prayer to beanswered? Who or what stands in opposition to your prayer?

4. What is your faith? Why is God trustworthy? Why is God worthy of praise? Howhave you seen God deliver you and answer your prayers in the past? What parts ofGod’s character are you appealing to in your prayer?

“O Lord”, “Mighty King”, “Lover of justice,”... What role does God play in this situation? What name do you ascribe to him?

“For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls.” (Ps. 78) How has God been faithful to you in the past? How has he shown up?

“I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit and the darkestdepths.” (Ps. 88) What is the source of your grief, sorrow, or anger? What painful situation is before you? (Feel freeto be specific here & include more than just a couple of sentences if it helps.)

“Because of your great compassion blot out the stain of my sin.” (Psalm 51) “O Lord, my God, Ihave done wrong.” (Psalm 7) “I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God tofollow evil. I am blameless before God.” (Ps. 8) Is there anything within you that aches for forgiveness? How have you failed to trust and obeyGod, or conversely, in what ways have you been faithful?

“Listen to my prayer O God, do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I amoverwhelmed by my troubles.” (Ps. 55) What specific thing are you asking God to do? In what ways do you long to see Him move?

“But you have been our king from the beginning, O God; You have saved us many times.” (Ps. 74) Recount how God has responded to your suffering in the past. What evidence do you have that hewill show up again? Who do you know God to be based on your experiences with him?

“The Lord has heard my plea; The Lord will answer my prayer.” (Ps. 6) “Why am I discouraged? Whyis my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – My Savior and my God. NowI am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You.” (Ps. 42) I love the Lord because He hears myvoice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I havebreath!” (Ps. 116)Looking beyond your current circumstances, what are the reasons God is nevertheless worthy ofpraise and trust? Articulate these as clearly and honestly as you can.

1. ADDRESS GOD DIRECTLY.

2. A REVIEW OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN THE PAST.

3. THE COMPLAINT

4. A CONFESSION OF SIN OR CLAIM OF INNOCENCE

5. A REQUEST FOR HELP

6. A DECLARATION OF THE RESPONSE/CHARACTER OF GOD

7. A VOW TO PRAISE/STATEMENT OF TRUST IN GOD

International Justice Mission (IJM)Lament Template

"The Practice" Lament Template

Cry out to God (your address to God)

Complaint (your anger, pain, heartache, or sadness)

Affirmation of Trust (your remembrance of God’s presence in your past)

Petition/Request (your deepest desire)

Additional Argument (anything more, why God should intervene)

Rage against Your Enemies (bringing your enemies before God)

Assurance of Being Heard (what you need to feel heard)

Promise to Offer Praise to God (the promise you can offer to God)

Assurance (the attribute of God you are thankful for at the moment)

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The French Pantoum Lament TemplateSTANZA 1: Line 1: How I feel when I know I’m loved. Line 2: What I’m struggling with right now.Line 3: What the voice of God says about me.Line 4: What happens when I believe the voice of God.

STANZA 2: Line 5 (repeat of line 2 in stanza 1): Line 6 (new line): Line 7 (repeat of line 4 in stanza 1): Line 8 (new line):

STANZA 3:Line 9 (repeat line 6 of stanza 2): Line 10 (repeat line 3 of the first stanza): Line 11 (repeat line 8 of stanza 2): Line 12 (repeat line 1 of the first stanza):

My Lament