Book of Psalms Намуна

PRAYERFUL LAMENTATIONS

There was a young man who liked to have a wild race on the highway. His parents and friends had repeatedly reminded him about the dangers, but he ignored their advices. One day this man met with an accident that caused him to live the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He thought that the advices or rebukes that he received were meant to limit his fun. We also often think that we know everything and therefore regard others as not important. However, when a misfortune happens to us, we are left with remorse. 

Psalm 106 contains Israel’s remorseful lamentations because they did not want to listen to God’s rebukes. They forgot God’s great works in their lives. The Israelites continued living in sin even though God kept setting them free and showed His mercy. 

Regretting what has happened in the past will not change things. However, prayerful lamentations are able to help us. The Psalmist expressed his grief and started to pray and let his tears flow. Instantly, his focus was diverted from the loss that he experienced to the grace of God’s available provision. 

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3: 22-23 NIV). ​

​Lamentations can open the way for us to give thanks. By learning to lament we can gain a new perspective of an expectation and we can begin the process of healing and recovery.