Almost one-third of the 150 psalms in the Bible are psalms of lament or complaint or “disorientation,” says Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann.
In the short video below, he suggests that neglecting the language of disorientation invites people to feel guilt or denial, and thus impoverishes us and our prayer lives.
This is one reason that praying the Psalms can enrich and deepen your prayer life. Learning the language of lament can deliver you from both guilt (“I shouldn’t be feeling this way”) and denial (“I’m not feeling this way”).
The Psalms include both personal and corporate psalms of lament–that is, complaints from an individual’s perspective vs. from a group perspective (such as the nation of Israel).
Some lament the psalmist’s own actions while others bemoan the action or inaction of others–even God, sometimes.
They express anger, frustration, doubt, fear, and protest. Some are repentant in tone (“penitential”) while others are caustic and cursing (“imprecatory”).
Here is a listing of the psalms that can be called “complaining prayers”:
Community laments: 12, 44, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 89, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129
Individual laments: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 36, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89, 120, 139, 141, 142
Penitential: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143
Imprecatory: 35, 69, 83, 88, 109, 137, 140
If you’ve never prayed the Psalms before–or if you’ve never prayed a psalm of lament before–here’s a suggestion: Start with Psalm 3 or 4, reading it aloud slowly, several times.
As you pray, allow the Holy Spirit to apply the words to your own situation, and use the psalmist’s words to help you complain authentically but prayerfully. After the first couple readings, adjust the wording to fit the cry of your heart. Repeat as necessary.
Does “complaining” in prayer seem strange to you? If so, why? If not, why not? Do you pray the Psalms? Do you avoid psalms of lament or are you drawn to them? Please share your experience with other readers of this blog by commenting below.
