The first assignment for one of my classes was due yesterday, in which I had the pleasure of responding to the question: How and when might lament psalms be used in corporate worship? What is your opinion?
This has sparked an interesting conversation among my peers and has raised further insight to the role of worship in the Church. The role of worship is to glorify God. That is the purpose of everything. So, many people disagree with lamenting psalms to be used in a congregational worship context...what can be glorifying to God about complaining, right?...
Well, there are numerous things that glorify God in lamenting.
But first we must recognize what the word Lament means.
According to the 1913 Mariam-Webster Dictionary:
"Grief or sorrow expressed in complaints or cries; a wailing; a moaning; a weeping; mourning"
Lamenting in a biblical sense is more than being upset about circumstances, though. It is an expression of the Spirit inside of you communicating to God. That feeling of inward parts breaking (many think of this as heartache), which cannot be expressed. You know what I am talking about, that awful, painful longing to see justice, peace, love and ultimately be with our betrothed Jesus.
Romans 8 is a great place of reference when seeking knowledge on the Spirit and understanding why we need to lament. Romans 8:26-27 states, " Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
When there is a unified spirit or grief within a church body, then lamenting together is more than appropriate- it is needed. If there is a call to repentance for the entire body, then lamenting together is more than appropriate- it is needed. If there is a charge to pray for our nation(s), then lamenting together is more than appropriate- it is needed. Lamenting in congregational worship is simply another type of communion with each other, the Spirit, and the Father.
Psalms of lament are purposed for the magnification of the glory of the Lord amidst the most painful and trying of circumstances; so, unless there is a common unity within the corporate body during worship, lament psalms may not always be appropriate. For example, singing David's Lamentation would NOT be appropriate for a congregation to sing at a baptism or on Easter Sunday, even if one person is grieved.
Furthermore, if there is no uplifting of God in the process of the soul grief, then lamenting may be more damaging in the worship of a congregation. However, lament psalms are significantly important in releasing soul grief (the grief of the spirit that cannot be expressed outwardly but in song, groaning, tongues, etc.).
Even in corporate worship, if there is a call to prayer for a nation(s) [as in Psalms 89 and 106], a call to repentance for the body, or a common need from God- we ought to lament together and bear one another's burdens. Many Christians today would rather think of God as love, which He definitely is, but he is so much MORE! God is not just love, He is everything. He is to be feared, reverenced, glorified. With that, I believe that it is also important to recognize that a majority of the psalms that are lamenting over wrongs done by others make reference to God's vengeance. His wrath is glorious, aweful (in every sense of the word), and powerful.
With this, it is important to recognize that lamenting psalms are always coupled with praise of some form. I believe this is because while our spirits need to grieve and communicate from time to time, praise is always our weapon in warfare. Psalm 149:6-9 says, "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment-This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!" We must always bring ourselves back to a place of praise. If it is true lamenting of the spirit, this will come naturally, because while we are carnal, we know God. God is worthy of praise. He is sovereign.
We are familiar with the story of Job. Job laments and is faced with his humanity before God in a remarkable way, I pray I never have to endure on this earth. God put Job "in his place", so to speak. It is his humanity and his ultimate obedience, humility before God and his worship that God blesses and turns evil away from Job. Finding the wonder and glory in the midst of all circumstances is the only way to fully live out our purpose on this earth and the only way to maintain joy. I am reminded of Paul imprisoned in the book of Philippians. He praised God in his circumstances and was able to find the joy in all the trials, so much so that he was able to be single-minded and spread and defend the gospel for Christ with the most fellowship of the saints in his heart, mind, and spirit. Praise is so utterly important.
To conclude, we need to comfort our spirits when the time is right and find ways to glorify God in our soul-grief and lamentations- especially together with other saints. Where 2 or more are gathered in His name, He is in the midst of them (*personal paraphrase of Matt. 18:20).
Thoughts on the subject or ideas of how to lament effectively with the saints are highly appreciated!
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