Lament: A Faithful Response in a Gap of Suffering
Dove Jang PhD, Durham University, United Kingdom
Laments are a form of prayer by the Hebrew psalmists in times of suffering. As a dominant genre in the Psalms, laments offer reflective theological perspectives to the problem of suffering that has been central to the life of faith. Through the ages, laments enable the faithful, both Jews and Christians, to open up their heart before God when their perplexing experience of pain blocks their dialogue with God. The poetic language of the psalmists provides therapeutic words for those who are deprived of words to speak the depth of their pain. This paper intends to present the theological reasoning for laments in five aspects. First, I will introduce the concept of “a gap of suffering,” coined by the OT scholar Bruce Waltke. While the faithful experience suffering as a “basic reality rooted in mystery” like Job, God’s hidden purpose for the innocent sufferers is for their best interest in the eschatological perspective. Second, both personal and communal laments are essential for the life of faith. It trains the faithful to face the challenge of the painful reality with practical realism. Third, laments bear witness to an ever-present listener, Yahweh. When the problem of pain move the psalmists to appeal, confess, question, complain, or reproach, all elements of laments are always directed to Yahweh. Laments help the faithful to experience God’s ever-present faithfulness. Fourth, those who lament never give up hope to experience God’s comfort in this life, while patiently waiting for God’s guidance in confidence. I will use some laments to demonstrate the psalmists’ concrete practices in facing pain. Fifth, laments cultivate virtues. During the unsettled tension between relentless pain and unyielding hope, laments enlarge the heart of the afflicted and enable them to grow in resilience and perseverance. Overall, laments are a faithful response to pain and suffering because the afflicted are agonizing with God who also suffered for us through the cruelty of the cross.