Heather Thomas continues our series this week looking at Psalm 60, another community lament Psalm. The Psalm reveals a people holding onto both fear and faith in the midst of uncertainty and pain. We can relate to this in our own lives as situations we find ourselves in often have more questions in them than they have certainty or resolution.

As we read the Psalm of lament we realize that we are not asked to be dismissive nor defeatist in the midst of our circumstances. Lament means we don’t have to avoid, or silence pain or confusion or uncertainty. But lament is also not about being cynical or defiant, critical nor cruel or bitter. Lament is an honest and truthful expression of sorrow, grief, fear and pain. It is an honest protest that not all is right.

Lament language isn’t language that lacks faith and trust. In fact, we actually need faith and trust to use this kind of language. It requires faith because it requires a true understanding of who we are: a people who will never be separated from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8). It requires faith because is requires a trust in who God is and that he is capable and willing to relate to us at the deepest level. Rather than fearing that our faith is weak, or under false guilt that our rawness might somehow be wrong, or hiding in the shame that what we are going through is unseeable, lament gives us permission to come to him insistent that his presence be known.

Psalm 60 ends with an air of uncertainty with eyes on God. That is what is so uncomfortable about the lament Psalms since we so naturally strive to solve and fix things. Here, in the space of lament, we sit in hard places. We show before God, which takes courage and faith in our uncertain circumstances trusting his presence with us.