How can we incorporate lamentation into our worship practices today? Setting the Scene: Josiah and Jeremiah’s Lament “Then Jeremiah chanted a lament over Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel, and they are written in the Laments.” – 2 Chronicles 35:25 Why Lament Still Matters • Lament is worship: voicing grief to the Lord, not around Him. • It affirms God’s sovereignty while confessing life’s brokenness (Psalm 13:1–2). • It keeps hearts soft, preventing cynicism (Psalm 77:1–2). • It disciples the next generation, teaching them how to suffer faithfully (Lamentations 3:19–23). Biblical Portraits of Godly Lament • Jeremiah – wept over a righteous king and a rebellious nation (Jeremiah 9:1). • David – poured out complaints yet always returned to trust (Psalm 22:1, 3-5). • Jesus – wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35) and over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). • Early church – grieved Stephen’s death with “great lamentation” (Acts 8:2) yet pressed on in mission. Practical Ways to Weave Lament into Worship Today Congregational Gatherings – Include lament psalms in call-to-worship rotations (Psalm 42; Psalm 130). – Read a brief corporate litany of sorrow on national or local tragedy anniversaries. – Allow moments of silence after Scripture readings for personal grief to surface. Singing – Revive historic hymns of sorrow (e.g., “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”). – Commission new songs modeled on the psalms—honest verses, hope-filled refrains. – Alternate lament songs with declarative praise to mirror Psalm patterns. Prayer – Offer pastoral prayers that name losses specifically—miscarriage, unemployment, persecution. – Invite congregants to write laments during a quiet instrumental piece, then collect them for intercession. Communion – Frame the Table as both remembrance of suffering and foretaste of joy (1 Corinthians 11:26). – Read Matthew 26:38 before distribution: “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death.” Visual Aids – Display a cross draped in black cloth during seasons like Good Friday or national mourning. – Provide expression stations: journals, art supplies, candle-lighting corners. Small Groups – Study a lament psalm monthly; share personal stories of grief and God’s faithfulness. – Encourage “Romans 12:15 moments”: rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Personal Devotion – Keep a lament journal: date, describe pain, declare trust (Psalm 62:8). – Memorize Lamentations 3:22-24; recite it when sorrow resurfaces. Guardrails for Healthy Lament • Stay God-directed—complaint must travel toward Him, not away (Psalm 142:1-2). • Anchor in Scripture, not feelings alone. • Refuse despair’s finality: always pivot to hope, even if briefly (Habakkuk 3:17-19). • Practice community—lament in isolation can spiral; shared lament strengthens faith. The Fruit That Follows Lament • Deeper empathy (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). • Purified worship—praise rings truer after honest grief. • Gospel witness—mourning yet hopeful people intrigue a hopeless world (1 Thessalonians 4:13). • Anticipation of the day when “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4). Lament, when woven into worship, shapes believers who both face life’s sorrows and cling to the Savior’s sure promises—just as Jeremiah and the singers once did for Josiah. |
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