The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:1-6
How do we handle sorrow, suffering, fear and loss? Modern culture doesn’t have many answers, even in the church. Yes, we come together for funerals and sit together in the hospital for a little while. But then we tend to just get back to our usual schedules, hoping those who have endured the struggles will do so as well.
Thankfully the Bible has a whole collection of resources to help us learn to lament. Around one third of the Psalms are laments – 40-50 in total, as well as the whole book of Lamentations. Check out Psalm 13 as a good example to start with.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?Psalm 13:1-2
What does King David show us here in this poem / song / prayer? First, he shows us where to go with our struggles — to whom we should direct our cries. Of the five parts of Biblical lament, the first three follow this important principle.
- (A)pproach God – turn to the Lord, not away from Him
- (B)ring concerns to Him – complain to the One who can take it
- (C)all on the Lord – Ask the One who can help
Notice in the first two verses of Psalm 13 how David directs his cry to the Lord. He feels forgotten, above all by God. And God had specifically promised to be with David, to “build a house” for him, when the prophet anointed David to be king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 7).
So what should we do when we don’t feel like God is keeping His promises to us? First, we (A)pproach the Lord, we are careful not to run away from Him. The temptation for a person in pain is to turn to our natural human coping mechanisms, many of which are worldly and sinful.
Second, as we approach God, we intentionally (B)ring our concerns and complaints to Him. Biblical lament does not encourage anyone to bottle up our feelings or hide them away; childish immaturity or basic pride takes that route.
Third, we (C)all on the Lord; we bring our prayers and requests directly to the One who can do something about our suffering and pain. We don’t demand intervention and immediate change, we simply lay our burdens at His loving, almighty feet.
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.Psalm 13:3-4
David’s struggles were not minor issues; they were often matters of life and death. Yet he learned as a young shepherd how to face those dangers and fears by calling on the Lord, the God of his fathers (1 Sam. 17:37). By exercising his faith at a young age, he built up the strength to (D)epend on the Lord and move forward with boldness to even take on a giant with the confidence he expresses here in Psalm 13.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.Psalm 13:5-6
So we conclude our five part series on Lament with the last two steps.
- (D)epend on Lord – Trust in the One who is faithful
- (E)ncourage one another – Don’t believe the lie you can manage alone
The Psalms themselves are a resource for corporate worship and a reminder not to walk alone, especially through the dark valleys of life. The nation of Israel had many traditions and practices that brought them together for fellowship and celebration, but also for prayer, repentance and lamentation. After the foolish warrior judge Jephthah made his impulsive vow that cost the life of his daughter, it became a tradition to lament her death for four days every year (Judges 11:40). Similarly, after God saved the Jews through Queen Esther, they established the two day Feast of Purim to remember their peril and God’s deliverance (Esther 9:28).
The New Testament Church let go of most old Jewish traditions, since they found their fulfillment in Christ, but maintained many of the principles, such as the importance of regular gatherings.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:23-25
Above all, Lament is an exercise in faith. And it is much easier to build the muscle of faith in fellowship with others who are walking wth you through the dark valleys. “Encouraging one another.” And don’t miss that last line, “as you see the Day drawing near.” That last Day is coming when Jesus will return to right every wrong and restore all things. So whatever struggle, whatever hardship, whatever sorrow or loss you are facing, be encouraged. You are not alone. The Good Shepherd walks with you through the valley and so do many in your church family. Plus, Jesus is coming back soon.
We know it won’t be easy, but let’s learn how to lament together over these next few weeks (September 2026). Keep an eye on the different Community Groups that are meeting and consider visiting one this fall!