The Wisdom of Lament—Psalms

Abstract

MANY READERS WHO first encounter the book of Psalms in its entirety—and not just isolated psalms in worship—are unprepared for the predominance of lament. Although the book as a whole bears the Hebrew title Tehilim, “Praisings,” the first half is dominated by cries of pain and appeals for deliverance. Many of these psalms are not carefully modulated expressions of agony and outrage, and for that reason, they tend not to be part of the functional theology of either church or synagogue. This is a sad irony, since the angry psalms are among those that may be most useful for pastoral ministry, as well as for spiritual growth and healing. As Calvin observed, the emotional honesty of psalms is a protection against and remedy for “that most baneful infection, hypocrisy”;...