“Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps 30:5).
Lament Psalms encourage real honesty with God. They help us not to censor what we are feeling or experiencing. “If we lose the ability or the right to lament, … then we lose a vital component of our relationship with God. And when it comes right down to it, God knows our hearts, so why not be honest with God at all times? We should feel free to speak freely to God when we are walking through the darkest valley and when we feel like we could praise him forever.”
There is often in the psalms a move from lament to praise. “Lament should be seen as only one part of the journey. Praise is the ultimate goal. “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps 30:5). That being said, we must embrace the night. We must embrace lament — and we must allow others who are walking through the darkest valley to embrace lament as well. Let us not be like Job’s friends and quote platitudes and Bible verses when we should be remaining silent and walking along beside our friend in silent prayer.
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