Prayer of Lament

Lament (a deflnition) crying out to God in expectation of receiving saving help.

Lament is…

…being honest

…integral to being human

“speaking is not just about making things known but about recognising things to be the way things are.”

…the first step to healing.

Lament “is about laying out our pain and grief, examining it so that there is a possibility that healing can emerge.”
David Runcom Choice, Desire and the Will of God SPCK 2003

Lament can lead to forgiveness.

Ps 137 is Lament full of hatred and revenge

“…the poison of human bitterness is being violently hurled in prayer into the one place that can receive it for what it is then that leads to Christian forgiveness.” David Runcorn

Lament recognises God’s love,
faithfulness and sovereignty.

Lament is Biblical

“Lament is an inconvenient truth at the heart of the biblical witness. Lament makes faith more difficult, more complex and less straightforward, but it makes it more close to the truth of who we are and who God is.”
Paul Bradbury “Sowing in Tears” Grove Booklet Wl 93 Oct 2007 ISBN 978 185174 668 2

God responds to Abel’s blood crying out from the ground in Genesis 4: 10

Over 1/3 of the psalms are lament e.g. 22, 74, 80

There is a book of Lamentations

Israel cries out to God on a number of occasions

People cry out to Jesus (Inc Peter in Matt 14:22-32)

Paul speaks of groaning in prayer in Rom 8:22-27

Rev 6:10 The martyrs cry out asking God ‘how long?’

Lament in the Psalms—a model for our prayers. Ps 80 move from Plea to Praise

Plea

Praise

Lament shows honesty in relationship

It’s almost like a battle between the complaint and the faith of the believer. (Now that is encouraging!)

Lament is authentic prayer from the heart. “How long O Lord, how long?”

What do I want to ‘lament’ for…

Why not use one of the Psalms of lament in you prayers.