What comes to mind with the word "lament"?  Maybe heartache, a cry for help, sadness, or possibly everyone's favorite corner of the Bible, Lamentations.  To be transparent, these are all things that I try to avoid in my life (no offense to the Facebook group "Fans of Lamentations").  For most of my life, lament was a result of some unwelcome circumstance, not something to strive toward.

But then why is lament so prevalent in Scripture?  Why does nearly every major Bible character [Jesus included] record a lament?  Is there a deeper purpose behind the sorrow?  Why does the Word tell us, "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." [James 4:9-10]

Lament is a door we rarely open intentionally on our own.  Often times the challenges of life help open that door for us.  Better yet is when a faith leader guides us through that door [kudos to the church leaders out there who include lament as part of the congregational worship experience].  That leader in my life was Michael Card.  He wrote the book A Sacred Sorrow in 2005, and the year after that released the album The Hidden Face of God, as well as a devotional guide on intentional lament.  Around that same time, he was a monthly columnist for CCM Magazine, and I was inspired by Card's desire to dive head-first into this darker shade of spiritual devotion.

In Card's words:  "Our theology tells us that if we complain to God, we’re being disrespectful. But at least 80 of the Psalms are actually Laments. It has become a lost language to our culture.... Every lament in the Bible, with the exception of Psalm 88, ends in praise. The answer to all our laments is seeing the face of God."

Card explains that lamenting is not something to run away from, in fact, it's the truest form of worship.  It's an honest cry from our heart - and God wants more than just our thanksgiving and praise, he also wants our doubts and sorrows.  It's a place that opens us up to experience the sovereignty of God in a fresh way.

So I no longer run away from lament.  And I'd love to open the door for you to walk towards this place of true worship.  Episodes #94 and #95 of Under The Radar will be songs that express the theme of lament.  Who knows?  You might grow closer to God on this road less traveled.  Let us know if it's a worthwhile journey for you!


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written by Dave Trout