Why We Lament

Songs shape story. They shape our affections and teach us about all aspects of life. This is why so many of the songs of Scripture are songs of lament. Lament is the response of a regenerate heart to the realities of sin, sorrow, and suffering. Lament teaches us about the reality of life lived in a curse-broken world. And lament lifts our eyes to the only hope we truly have.

We lament for a number of reasons. First, lament arises from honest engagement with a cursed world. Because of Adam’s and our sin our world has been submitted to “futility“ (Rom. 8). We experience relational pain, thorns, thistles, and even death. As we encounter disease and disability, failure and fear, even death itself, how should we respond? We cry out to God “how long, O Lord!” Or “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The pains of this life are directly connected to sin and separation from God. God created the world very good, we ruined it, and now we bear its thorns. Lament lifts our eyes to the blessed realm of heaven and the one who submitted the world to futility “in hope” of the glory that awaits the sons and daughters of God. We cry out to the one who bore the curse for us so that now while we might feel its effects, we won’t suffer its end. We will forever live with God!

Second, we lament when we honestly engage with our sin. When we see our sin for what it is we cry out like David “against you and you only have I sinned” and “if you should mark iniquities who could stand?” Sin’s a rottenness in our bones. It festers and kills. So will we hide like Adam and slowly die inside? Or will we expose it before the Lord and lament? Lament allows us to mourn our sin and receive God’s comfort. Those who repent and seek God’s forgiveness find it to be true that “blessed is the one whose iniquity has been forgiven“ against whom the Lord will not count his sin. Lament teaches us that while sin brings death, there is one who bore our sin for us so that we might be made righteous in him. Jesus gives us his righteousness and we are justified before God! Lament lifts our eyes to the cross and empty tomb and gives us a hope that could never be found in ourselves or the world.

Third, lament comes as we engage the enemy. Satan is a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour. He especially hates the children of God and seeks to bring us down to the dust like him. He brings suffering, oppression, depression, sorrow, and pain. He tempts us with the goods of earth to set our affections on that which will pass away. Who can save us from such a powerful enemy? Only God who is our shield, our glory, and the lifter of our heads (Ps. 3). Though our enemy surrounds and seeks our life, lament lifts our eyes to heaven where our life is hidden with Christ. It reminds us of Christ’s victorious descent into the grave where he proclaimed the victory of the cross and disarmed the powers and principalities. Lament reminds us of Satan’s end and leads us into the safe harbor of Christ’s love for us. He is our refuge, our strength, strong tower, fortress, the Rock upon which we stand and are safe.

Christians are a lamenting people because we are a hopeful people. Lament sings of the reality of this world and all its pain and sorrow but reminds us that this world isn’t our home or hope. We have a hope that won’t put us to shame. And so our lips are loosed and we mourn in hope because our God comforts us.