Introduction: What is a Lament?

Lament is a form of prayer and worship that cries out to God in the midst of distress. It asks hard questions, expresses painful realities, and looks to God for relief. As many as 40% of the Psalms have strong elements of lament, and lament also appears throughout the Old and New Testaments.

The psalms of lament cover many kinds of suffering: being attacked by others, through words or actions; sorrow, fear, and other emotional distress; sin and guilt; and the feeling that God is absent or doesn’t care.

Most lament psalms follow a typical five-part pattern, shown in the image above. As you pray through this path, notice how each psalm moves through these stages, and how some linger in the hard places longer than others.

Like all the psalms, these are poems, prayers, and songs that have been used in worship for centuries. They are written in poetic language and word pictures, and the exact circumstances behind them are often unknown. That is what makes them relevant to so many situations in our own lives.

How to use this path: Each day, begin by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Then slowly read and pray that day’s psalm, work through the reflection questions, and pray the psalm again. When you’re ready, share your reflections with the 7 Cups community. You may find that others are carrying something similar.