Lament as a Godly Response to Suffering (Psalms of Lament)

By Dr. Brandon Steenbock, Family Minister

I’d been denying the pain for years. I knew, somewhere inside, that I was hurting, but I didn’t want to admit it. I thought I should be strong. I thought that if I loved and trusted Jesus, I should feel joy. I could have told you that this was a theologically flawed conclusion, but buried pain has a way of breaking logic. 

Then one day the dam broke. A song touched the spot where I’d balled it all up, and the knots came undone. I collapsed into a sobbing mess, pouring out all my pain through my tears and letting my voice finally admit the hurts I’d been carrying for so long. I let myself feel it, and confessed that I was wrong thinking I had to be strong.

God never told us that loving and trusting Jesus means we will never feel pain. In fact, Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). And God never told us to keep that pain hidden. The Psalms are full of songs of lament, giving voice to familiar human pain. Through them, the Spirit gives us permission to be honest with our pain — and invites us to worship even in our grief and weakness.

You might be carrying pain today. Maybe you’re grieving a loss. Maybe you’re struggling with unfulfilled needs, or wants, or dreams. Maybe you’re lonely. Maybe you feel darkness always pushing in around you. Maybe you just hurt, and you don’t know why. 

Here is God’s invitation to you: Cry out to him. Lament. Pour out your pain. 

Those Psalms that model lament to us were not written alone. They came out of faithful community. God’s people used them as songs of worship, voicing the grief and hurt they carried together. You do not have to lament alone. In the community of believers, you will find the safety to be honest about the pain you carry. 

And through that community, God gives support, understanding, and even strength and healing. Today, God invites you to lament. 

Prayer: How long, O Lord, will I carry this pain? How long will I have to endure the darkness? Hear me weep and mourn, God. Be with me in this lament. Surround me with people who will help me carry my pain. Lead me to trust in your unfailing love. Amen.

Thank you for reading our special devotional series for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The rest of this devotional series can be found here.