Scripture: Psalms 130

To Cry Is Human, to Lament Is Christian 

By Jimmy Purchase 

“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”—Psalm 130 (NIV) 

What do you think about when you hear the word lament? Often, we think of worship as joyful and celebratory! Though that’s true, there’s another aspect of Christian worship that might not seem joyful, but it is hopeful. 

Would you believe me if I told you the majority of the Psalms are psalms of lament? All throughout the Psalms, we see the psalmist cry out to God for deliverance, direction, provision, and protection. Before he vocalizes these requests, he takes time to lament before God, meaning he comes to God with all his pain, anger, hurt, and disappointment. He doesn’t stuff his feelings down and force a smile on his face. Instead, he’s open and honest before God about how he really feels about his life and current circumstance. 

The psalmist’s struggles and pains are reshaped into bold and honest prayers to the only God who could intervene. Lament drives us deeper into the Arms of our Loving Father who always overcomes evil. 

This practice isn’t limited to the Psalms. Moses laments on behalf of his hungry and famished people (Numbers 11:10–17). The prophet Jeremiah records all his prayers of lament in the Book Lamentations—that’s right, there’s an entire book of the Bible dedicated to lamenting. Habakkuk is another book of lament. Habakkuk is a recorded conversation between the prophet and God. Here, Habakkuk laments over the sin, evil, and destruction of his people. God responds with truth and hope. 

You might be questioning, “But isn’t lamenting just complaining?” Our laments cry out to God who listens to His children. Scripture shows us that His Heart is greatly moved by the cries and petitions of His people. Lamenting isn’t mere complaining, it’s something deeper. 

Our world is deeply broken and damaged by sin and evil. We experience deep hurts and loss, whether it’s things done to us or things we’ve done to ourselves and others. The psalmist experiences death, struggles with sin, evil, abandonment, affliction, betrayal, and so much more, and what does he do with those feelings? He laments to God and makes an honest and passionate declaration of his own grief, frustration, and sorrow. He laments by acknowledging his current circumstance, then he reminds himself of God’s future deliverance. 

The God of the Bible is a God who promises to make everything new and fix all that’s broken in our world. Lamenting starts with acknowledging the pain of our present but points forward to God’s Provision in the future. This is what it means to “live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). 

“Lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain on the one hand and the promise of God’s goodness on the other hand. Lament stands in the gap between pain and promise. . . . To cry is human; to lament is Christian.”—Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegrop 

Consider these encouraging words from the hymn, How Firm a Foundation: 

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,

and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

Pause: Lament in the Bible has the following components: 1) A direct call from us to God, 2) an expression of our pain, grief, or sadness, 3) a confession of sin, and 4) a declaration of God’s Character and Holiness. Do you see that pattern in today’s Psalm? 

Practice: In his book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament, Mark Vroegop provides a guide to help us lament over our own pain and struggles: turn, mourn, ask, and trust. 

Pray:

Turn: In an effort to turn your heart and mind over to God, allow 60 seconds of silence before starting your time in prayer. 

Mourn: Allow words of frustration and pain to be vocalized: “God, why were You silent? Why didn’t You respond? What are You doing? How are You working now?” God wants to hear your petitions. 

Ask: Pray for God to bring peace and healing to the situation. Pray for God’s Will to be done in your life. Pray for God’s Power and Love to be shown in a tangible way. 

Trust: Remind your heart about ways God has provided for you in the past. You can surrender your confusion and doubts knowing He welcomes you with your hurts because He carries you in His Promises.

Scripture: Psalms 6

The Heart’s Lament: Turning Sorrow to Obedience

By Deb Marsalisi 

“O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord—how long? Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks? I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.”—Psalm 6 (NKJV) 

Aren’t you grateful David was willing to articulate his pain through words? For me, it’s a relief to see this type of sorrow penned. It reminds me I’m not alone in this fractured world. 

Did you know one-third of the Psalms are lament psalms? A lament psalm passionately expresses grief, sorrow, disappointment, and angst. But what’s the difference between a complaint and a lament? 

A complaint is an indictment against God that slanders His Character such as seen in Numbers 11:4–6 (NIV): “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, ‘If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!’” They were literally complaining about Heavenly Bread and craving the good ol’ days of slavery! 

A lament is an appeal to God, based on the belief in His Loving Nature, like what follows from Moses as he speaks to the Lord: “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me. . . . I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:11–14 NIV). 

Intimacy and trust allow us to pour out our grief to Him. Who better to go to than our Heavenly Father to put salve on our wounds? Let’s explore David’s heart towards the Lord in today’s verses: 

O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.

Here we see David’s humility and holy fear toward the Lord. David asks God not to chasten him, which means discipline when He’s mad. Hebrews 12:6 (NKJV) tells us God chastens those He loves. 

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

David isn’t afraid to ask for mercy because he has a deep understanding of God’s Character. Mercy is when we don’t get the punishment we deserve. 

My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord—how long?

David seeks emotional healing when asking how long before his affliction stops. This is so relatable. 

Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your Mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?

Can you hear David’s heart? He wants God’s Presence; He wants to be near to Him. He’s praying for intimacy, rescue, and deliverance. He’s trusting in the Mighty Hand of the Lord to do it for His Mercy’s sake. David wants everyone to see God’s Character. 

I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies.

Here we see an expression of deep sorrow and pain—pain to the point of sheer exhaustion. David turns to the only One who can help heal his hurt. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Is it not sweet to believe that our tears are understood even when words fail? Let us learn to think of tears as liquid prayers.” 

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

David trusts God in His Graciousness to lean down and hear his prayers. He then gives a warning for all evil to flee, because Abba hears, receives, and answers our prayers. 

Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

David’s not seeking revenge but repentance. As much as David wants this for himself, he wants his enemies to feel the grief, pain, and anguish that leads to Holy Sorrow so they’ll recognize what they’ve done and turn back to the Lord. 

Pause: David wept over his sin. When was the last time you wept over your sin? What do these Scriptures reveal to you about the Character of God? 

Practice: This Psalm is one of seven psalms of repentance and was written for the chief musician to share in public worship. Have you ever thought that repentance is an act of worship? To repent of something is to simply change our minds about our sin, stop sinning, and turn towards God in obedience. Repentance and obedience walk hand in hand to the altar of worship. 

Take some time each day this week to read the remaining six repentance psalms (Psalm 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143; aka Penitential Psalms). Have a time of reflection, confession, and repentance each day. 

Pray: Dear Lord, help me to be like David. Hear me as I weep and lament to You. Turn my heart so I recognize my sin and feel the weight of Holy Sorrow. I want to repent and walk in the newness of life. I love You, Lord. Thank You for being my Father, my Protector, my Savior, my Healer, and my Friend. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen!

Scripture: Psalms 38

Blessed Are Those Who Lament 

By Danny Saavedra 

“For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. . . . Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.”—Psalm 38:17–22 (NIV) 

NOTE: Before reading today’s devotional, read through the entirety of Psalm 38 and sit with it for five minutes. 

Have you ever weighed food before? I used to love going to the grocery store as a kid for—amongst a great many reasons—the thrill of putting plantains, potatoes, apples, or peaches on the scale. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I actually thought it was pretty awesome. And I learned that the more weight I added, the farther down the scale would go. 

Today, we’re going to unpack a very heavy topic: the weight of sin. That’s what Psalm 38 is all about, and why I really hope you did the little exercise I gave you above. 

Psalm 38 was written by David. It’s possible this lament was composed in response to David’s sin with Bathsheba, but we don’t know for certain, and it doesn’t make a difference. It’s a deep lament, an anguished plea full of pain and guilt as David experienced the effects (seemingly physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) of his sin and the Hand of the Lord upon him. This was the depth of pain David felt about his own sinfulness, to the point where he even says, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4 NIV). 

Wow! A burden too heavy to bear. Friend, maybe you’re not like David. Maybe you’ve never forced yourself onto someone, committed adultery, or had someone murdered. It doesn’t make a difference because sin is sin. And habitual, unrepentant sin that we haven’t confronted and given over to Jesus drives a wedge between us and God—and like the fruit on the scale, weighs on us until it becomes too heavy to bear. 

Can I share something with you? I want to feel this way when there’s sin in my life. I’ve asked the Lord to make sin feel so painful to me. Why? Because I’d rather feel anguished and broken over my sins than apathetic and ambivalent. I want to live out the truth of Matthew 5:4 (NIV), which says, “Blessed are those who mourn.” Theologian John Gill said of this verse, “Blessed are they that mourn for sin, for their own sins; the sin of their nature . . . which is always working in them and is a continual grief of mind to them.” 

This feeling, this weight expressed in Psalm 38 is what Paul calls “Godly Sorrow.” And according to 2 Corinthians 7, Godly Sorrow produces repentance. And when we repent, 1 John 1:9 (NIV) says, “he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” That’s why Jesus says the mourner is blessed because they’ll always be comforted by God! 

This is why, even in his anguish and pain, we can clearly see that David knows he hasn’t been abandoned by God. He’s experiencing the correction which comes through the guilt and shame of sin. He humbly appeals to God, openly confesses his sin, and declares his repentance as he says, “Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior” (Psalm 38:22 NIV). 

And friends, this is the beautiful thing we know to be true as children of our Good Heavenly Father: Although we may experience consequences for our sins here and now, Hebrews 12:11 (NJKV) says, the chastening of the Lord “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” And not only that, but when we bring our sin, shame, and guilt to Him, He takes the shame away and we’re able to feel His Forgiveness, Grace, Love, and Peace wash over us! 

Pause: How do you feel after sinning? 

Practice: Ask the Lord to search your heart today and reveal areas of unrepentant sin, habitual sin, apathy toward sin, or rebellion toward the Truth of His Word. Then, humbly repent of whatever He reveals to you, knowing He’s forgiven you and desires to set you free from the weight and grip it has over you. 

Pray: Father, may my sin, disobedience, and rebellion toward You, Your Ways, and Your Word produce in me the same visceral reaction as it did in David. May sin be repulsive to me. I desire to crave, pursue, and consume only that which is pleasing to You and that which glorifies You. 

Forgive me today, Father, for areas I’ve held back from You, areas I’ve lived in unrepentant and active rebellion toward You. I know that in Christ, I’m forgiven, but I confess these things to You that I may feel You take the weight of it off my shoulders and feel Your Peace, Grace, and Forgiveness wash over me like a gentle wave. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen!

Scripture: Psalms 10

The Economy of Mercy 

By Alessandra Velsor 

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, ‘Nothing will ever shake me.’ He swears, ‘No one will ever do me harm.’ His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, ‘God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.’ Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’? But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.”—Psalm 10 (NIV) 

We’ve all gone through times of trouble when we’ve felt distant from God. It’s part of our human nature to ask where He is when we notice His distance or absence. And if it makes you feel a little better, it’s a universal experience for all of us. 

Because this Psalm has no title, it’s been suggested it originally was part of Psalm 9 as they share common themes. Also, the rare expression in Hebrew בַּצָּרָֽה׃ לְעִתּ֥וֹת “times of trouble” is also used in Psalm 9:9 and Psalm 10:1. This particular concept refers to “cutting off hope of deliverance.” 

We’ve all seen times when the bad guys win and the good guys stand there defeated. Not only do we wonder where God is but, like today’s passage, it’s easy to question why He allows evil to happen in this messy world. 

What if we’re looking at this the wrong way? Our focus has been on winning versus losing, but what if I told you that life isn’t the game you’re making it out to be? Did you know God’s inactivity in our lives doesn’t necessarily mean He’s absent or distant like we may think? Sometimes our timeline of when we want to see justice simply doesn’t match His. In the midst of our despair, it’s natural to desire—and even rebelliously seek—justice against those who severely hurt us and don’t have the fear of the Lord in them. 

In times of trouble, we may feel spiritually and emotionally injured. Let’s think of it in terms of a physical injury. If there’s an accident and paramedics show up, the first step is to assess the injury and treat it accordingly. If we’re bleeding, they’ll do everything in their power to stop the bleeding and then give us a pain reliever. At this point, their goal is to provide comfort, not to give a diagnosis of our overall health. Could it be that God wants to provide us with comfort first? 

In Psalm 34:18 (NIV), we’re reminded, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Every time we start doubting God’s Goodness, we must pull back and remind ourselves of His Character and the many Promises He’s given us. 

In this untitled Psalm accredited to be written by David, we don’t really know why he was inspired to write this in the first place, but we do know of the persecution David suffered at the hands of King Saul who tried to kill him multiple times in fear of losing his crown. How could this be? Didn’t God anoint David to be the next king of Israel? Why would Saul try to stop the inevitable? 

Although we serve a Just and Fair God, we also must remember how the economy of mercy works towards all of Creation—including the Sauls of our lives! This is why it may seem His response or reaction to injustice takes a long time to take place because of His ultimate hope to see Redemption and Restoration in the sinner’s life. God has all the Power to smite within seconds those who loudly and proudly reject Him, but our Patient God desires a relationship, even with the mockers. After all, the currency of mercy was extremely costly and our Salvation required the Death of the Most Perfect Lamb: Jesus, our Savior! 

God’s mercy reigns, so His judgment waits.—Paul Tripp 

Pause: How has God responded to you in your times of trouble? How has He shown patience and mercy towards you? 

Practice: Pray for the person who has maliciously hurt you (or someone you love). Pray for their eyes to be uncovered and for them to encounter Jesus. 

Pray: Father God, thank You for Your Everlasting Presence in my life. Even when it doesn’t feel like You’re near, You always remind me of who You are and the Promises You’ve made. You’re never far from me God, but give me patience to wait for Your Justice to be done in my life. I trust Your Timing, but most importantly, I trust YOU. Amen!

Scriptures: Psalms 42, Psalms 43

Living In Tension: Lamenting with Hope 

By Samantha Rodriguez 

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”—Psalm 42:5 (NIV) 

Today’s devotional will walk through Psalm 42 and 43. So, before continuing on, go read them both entirely. Both chapters are only 16 verses total! 

These Psalms are categorized as psalms of lament. The highlighted verse for today is actually a mantra repeated three times throughout the two chapters which strings together a very important theme about lamenting. 

Lamenting involves both acknowledging the real difficulty of grief and sadness, while also choosing to remember the Faithfulness of God so we can put our hope in Him through the difficult times of life. Lamenting is about choosing hope when all hope seems lost. Lamenting is about learning how to live in the tension of how struggle, grief, confusion, and hope can coexist in our hearts. 

Let’s break down the two Psalms to learn what the process of lamenting in Old Testament times looked like. In the first four verses of Psalm 42, the psalmist writes with beautiful metaphors about his soul thirsting for God like a deer pants for water and crying so much that his tears are like his food. 

He expresses the depth of his longing and grief through these metaphors because it’s an outlet for him to “pour out his soul.” We must catch what he writes in that very same line, though, “These things I remember as I pour out my soul.” Here, he’s remembering the good moments of joyful worship and praise while he turns to worship in grief. We can express our grief in similar ways, but the challenge here is to express it worshipfully by keeping in mind the Goodness of God. 

The next verse is where we get today’s mantra shared at the top, yet the Psalm doesn’t end yet. The psalmist goes back to acknowledging the reality of his deep emotions in verse 6. Even after doing this; however, he goes back to remembering the Faithfulness of God in the past. The Presence of God and His Love run deep. The psalmist recalls it with more imagery in verses 7–8, which also displays how he reassures himself of Truth. We must also make a habit out of this because the enemy tries to sneak in with lies that seem true all the time—especially when we’re struggling or grieving! 

Verses 9-10 are reassuring to our humanity because the psalmist still comes before the Lord with raw and real questions. He addresses his questions to God without forgetting who his God is, the Rock. After this, we end with the same mantra yet again—a conscious decision to place his hope in God. 

Psalm 43 differs in the lament because it seems to focus on a frustration over being oppressed by enemies or experiencing injustice. In this Psalm, the psalmist pleads for justice and questions why God would seemingly reject him and allow his enemies to see success. In verses 3–4, he requests God to send him light, faithful care, and guidance. He knows that being where God is, on the Holy Mountain, in His Dwelling Place, is the best place to be. 

The psalmist wants to be closer to God, even in his grief and confusion, because that’s where he can truly be in relationship with God and experience deep-seated peace in praising God. This Psalm also ends with the same mantra copied at the beginning. 

Take comfort in knowing that in seasons of darkness, our hearts can lament with hope. 

Pause: Living in the tension of grief and hope is something really unique to the Christian life because our hope is eternal and secure! Have you experienced this tension of sadness and grief with hope? 

Practice: Regardless of whether you’re in the middle of grieving or celebrating something right now, I urge you to reread these Psalms and fill in the remembrance portions with specific instances in your life where you saw God’s Goodness. Then, repeat the prayer from today’s highlighted verse a few times out loud to God. 

Pray: Father God, my soul is often influenced by the emotions of my heart. My emotions are often influenced by my own thoughts and circumstances. And Father, even though my emotions are fleeting that doesn’t make them any less real or impactful. I acknowledge them today, in this moment, and lay them before You. 

I lay my situation before You. And I recall Your goodness and faithfulness to me. In every season, You have come through for me with Grace and Mercy. Thank You! I will put my hope in You again and again and again. Jesus, I love You! Amen!