Lament

Written by Jeff Howell | Associate Pastor of Administration

Dear Faith Family ~

Over a third of the Psalms in Scripture are psalms of lament.  In them, the writers cry out to God for deliverance, either personal or sometimes national.  Our perfectly good God (Ps 100:5) sometimes permits painful tribulation to come upon His people for reasons that are not clear.  In fact, this side of Heaven, the reasons may never be known.  Some people give up on God when it gets hard, but the establishment & survival of real faith does not depend on a person’s circumstances or experiences.  True faith is a spiritual institution of the soul, wrought by God Himself when His Holy Spirit imparts new life to a repentant sinner.  Consequently, true faith will not die out because God grants it, sustains it, and rewards it.

Many psalmists wrote from a place of great despair, and the question they could not escape was, “WHY?”  Take for instance Ps 44 where the Sons of Korah declare that God rejected them, disgraced them, and allowed their enemies to win (vv. 9—10).  Ouch!  They accuse God of having sold His people for a trifle (v. 12); having made them a taunt, a derision, a scorn, a byword, a laughingstock (vv. 12—14).  How did this make it into the Bible!?  Isn’t it presumptuous to complain about God and His plans?

And yet, God welcomes it.  He desires truth in the inner person (Ps 51:6), not a deceitful mask of false piety.  He wants to hear honestly from His people!  After all, He discerns our thoughts from afar (Ps 139:2b).  Sometimes, the news from the doctor is utterly dismal or frustratingly cryptic, and we do not understand.  Or, why did we have to be the ones who made the big mistake that now costs our family or company or future so dearly?  This is real life…. imperfect people make mistakes.  A creation shattered by sin cuts us and can greatly discourage us.  We have our laments, too, and God wants to hear from us. 

A key moment in many psalms of lament is when the beleaguered writer finds a resting place in God.  Often, the trial is still underway, but the psalmist does not just curl up and die.  In Ps 44 (the same one quoted above), the writer declares,

“[8] In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever.”

How is this possible?  Can we, too, know where to find rest for our souls while we wait for God to act for our good?

Answer:  The suffering psalmists remembered the story of God’s work in the past.  Whether they had heard from their fathers about God’s powerful deliverance or whether they themselves had experienced it, they knew what God could do (consider Creation or the Red Sea Crossing).  They knew that God did not change His character of grace, mercy, and goodness because He cannot.  They knew that God’s timetable was so far above the Earth’s conception of time.  Whether making man from dust one day or staying silent for centuries at a time, God did things His way, in His time.  While we might not know the mind of the Lord, we can rest assured that His promises are ever true (cf. Rom 8:28; 1 Pet 1:3—9; etc.), and He will not abandon us in our trials.

As you enter 2026 and bring with you burdens that just will not resolve or encounter new ones, I urge you to remember what God has done in the past.  Remember that He can do mighty things today.  Remember that He Who redeemed you knows you and cares for you and will vindicate you in His timing.  May we with the lamenting psalmist declare:

“[11] I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. [12] I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. [13] Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? [14] You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples” (Ps 77:11-14).

And may we then remember God’s care for those who trust in Him:

“[14] Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. [15] When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. [16] With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation” (Ps 91:14—16).

If this letter has been helpful to you, please share it with a friend.  Beginning this month and continuing through June 2026, our Sunday morning Adult Growth Group will journey together through many psalms (including several laments).  I invite you to join us as we bring the Lord our praises, our pains, and our pleas.  Our God is far from done accomplishing His will for His glory and our good.

Welcome to 2026,

Pastor Jeff