Angela lived in a caring village community so when her husband and two sons were killed in a car accident the entire community shared in the expression of her grief. Many wept with her and nearly everybody attended a memorial service that was held in the village church. Angela and her community were lamenting their loss.
John’s fiancée left him desolate so he isolated himself from his friends for a while and absorbed himself in his music. He expressed his grief in a song that he sang only when alone. Years later when he started singing in public it became a popular item in his repertoire though he never shared the story behind its creation. John was lamenting.
Sami became a refugee because of the destruction of his community so fled to another country with a radically different language, culture and lifestyle. He linked with other members of his community and they met regularly to remind themselves of all they had lost. They were often sad and wept together but still wanted to continue to meet. Meeting seemed to satisfy some deep need they felt but could not explain. Sami and his community were lamenting.
These examples illustrate the different aspects of lamenting which is one of the features of the process of grieving.
Lamenting is primarily about the expression of grief, disappointment or regret. It is commonly done openly and passionately in weeping, shouting or singing, especially in a communal context as happened with Angela and Sami. John’s loss though was personal and private. He did not feel able to share his grief but was able to express it in a song of lament that later on seemed to help other people with their own experience of loss.
Lamenting is a feature of human behaviour both personal and communal in societies across the world and throughout history. Lament poems/songs are one of the oldest forms of literature and examples are still available even as far back as the Sumerian civilisation that existed 4,000 years ago in what is now Iran. Ur, one of its key cities was destroyed by an invading army from the east and the ’Lament for Sumer and Ur’ was written in commemoration. It can still be read in translation in https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr223.htm.[1] Examples of ancient Greek literature such as the Iliad[2] contain laments. The Iliad was written in 700-800 BC, about the time some of the Psalms were created. Further examples of lamenting from later ages are reported in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lament.
Although very common in cultures and communities across the world and throughout history lamenting has a limited role in societies that downplay the public expression of grief or have had little reason for widespread communal grieving (such as the native English in England in the last 50 years or so). In such societies lamenting still occurs but it is primarily an expression of personal loss so is usually expressed privately or within a family or close community.
I have that cultural background so only knew of lamenting as a feature of some folk songs, especially negro spirituals, until I learned about trauma healing and found how lamenting was a powerful and helpful way of expressing loss and grief. With that insight a window opened so I was able to appreciate Scripture much better. When lamenting is discussed in trauma healing ministry it is not uncommon for some to make a comment such as, ‘So that is what I have been doing. I never knew it had a name!’ Others are comforted and lose a sense of guilt when they understand that being angry about a loss and blaming God are normal features of lamenting and do not imply a loss of faith.
Biblical lamenting
Some of the stories in the biblical narrative that feature lamenting include:
- Jacob lamented the loss of his son Joseph who he understood had been killed. Genesis 37:32-35.
- Yahweh heard the complaints/laments of the Israelite slaves in Egypt. Exodus 3:7-9, 4:29-31.
- David lamented for both evil King Saul and his son Jonathan who was his great friend. 2 Sam 1: 19-27.
- David lamented over the death of his son Absalom even though he was rebellious, raped his half-sister and attempted to usurp his kingdom. 2 Sam 18:33.
- Jesus lamented over the Pharisees failure to live exemplary lives and for Jerusalem’s rejection of him. Luke 13:34-35.
These stories emphasise the normality of lamenting but the richest biblical resource for understanding lamenting are the examples of songs of lament that are enshrined in Scripture. The ‘Book of Lamentations’[3] has the clue to its contents in the name but more manageable are the Psalms, for about 70 out of the 150 total are considered to be laments. There is some dispute about a few and the arguments seems to be around how a lament is defined. For example, I think Psalm 11 is a lament even though others reject it.
Lamenting is primarily about complaining but in the psalms there are other features that demonstrate the particular style of biblical laments. This includes being written in the context of praise and a recognition of Yahweh’s role. Yahweh being blamed for the suffering that gives rise to the lament is not uncommon but, contradictorily, there is still a commitment to serve and honour Yahweh. That helps keep the complaint in context and distinguishes biblical laments from secular laments that focus on sadness, disappointment and loss but with little if any expression of hope.
Gordon Wenham points out that the Hebrew title of the book of Psalms is ‘tehillim,’ which means ‘praises’ – and yet the commonest type of psalm are the laments – complaints! They are often addressed angrily to Yahweh and may promote appalling desires for violent revenge (Psalm 137) and even the total destruction of whole communities (Psalm 58). So why are they in the Bible? Wenham thinks we should not reject them out of hand and reminds of us of some issues to bear in mind:
- Jesus prayed Psalm 22:1 on the cross so if Jesus valued this lament psalm perhaps we should check them out to see if they apply to circumstances in our lives too.
- The lament psalms are some of the most quoted in the New Testament. If the apostles valued them perhaps we should too.
- The early church appreciated them too and Wenham quotes Athanasius’ advice on this topic written about 300 AD.
- Not everyone who attends church services are full of joy and happiness. Many are burdened and wonder where is God when they need him most. Let the laments speak!
- If nothing else, it will prepare us for possible future troubles and will engender empathy for the suffering church in other parts of the world.[4]
Format of Laments
There are differences of opinion among theologians about the features to be included in the categorisation of laments so I have chosen to follow the description used in the trauma healing ministry developed by the Trauma Healing Institute and described in Healing the Wounds of Trauma.[5] Seven features are listed:
- Address to Yahweh
- Review of Yahweh’s faithfulness in the past
- A complaint
- A confession of sin or claim of innocence
- A request for help
- Yahweh’s response
- A vow to praise/statement of trust in Yahweh.
Not all parts are present in each lament; the order may vary but there is always a complaint. The complaint may be presented quite politely but often it is clearly aggressive and the subject of the complaint can be Yahweh himself (Psalm 13).
Biblical laments are more than simple complaints as they are usually addressed to Yahweh so are a form of prayer. Nevertheless, Psalm 11, that is addressed to David’s advisers and Psalm 137, that poignantly, has no addressee, are still counted as laments.
56% of Psalm 11 is a review of Yahweh’s previous faithfulness but that is very unusual. Commonly a review is omitted or is no more than a brief acknowledgment such as in Psalms 27, 57 and 88.
Confession of sin is even rarer! I have not met it in the first 11 psalms studied and only one psalm, Psalm 5, includes a claim of innocence.
Psalm 11 is the only one I have found so far that does not have a request for help. Four include politely phrased requests for help while six express themselves rudely and aggressively. Such aggression has led some churches to exclude some psalms from their worship materials but it is possible to understand such aggression and learn from it. See, for example, Psalm 137 and 13.
In two psalms only, 12 and 57, Yahweh’s intervention is recorded.
Laments all include, and often end, with a vow to praise Yahweh and/or a statement of continuing trust in Yahweh while Psalm 137 is unique as it has an oath of allegiance.
A summary of these findings is shown in the table below. Only 11 lament psalms are included so far but there are more to follow!
For a review of the features of biblical laments see this 90 secs. video.
References
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lament_for_Sumer_and_Ur [accessed 27Jan23]
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad [accessed 27Jan23]
[3] Kathleen M. O’Connor, Lamentations and the Tears of the World, (Maryknoll, New York, Orbis Books, 2002) is highly recommended by knowledgeable friends though I have still not completed it.
[4] Gordon Wenham, The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), pp. 43-48.
[5] Ergenbright, Dana and others, Healing the Wounds of Trauma: How the Church Can Help – Stories from Africa, (Participant Book for Healing Groups) revised edn (Philadelphia, PA: SIL International and American Bible Society, 2021).
Written: 11 January 2023
Published: 1 February 2023
Updated: 7 August 2023