Writers possess the gift of articulating the human experience, and one of the most profound applications of this gift is providing language for our deepest suffering. Biblical writers understood this crucial function, crafting numerous laments throughout scripture. The most renowned of these is the Book of Lamentations. However, Lamentations isn’t the only biblical lament. At least one-third of the 150 Psalms are laments, making them the most common psalm category. The prophets Habakkuk and Jeremiah also expressed profound laments, often articulating intense sorrow and regret. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines lament as “crying out or wailing in grief; mourning aloud.” Lament is a universal human experience. Jesus himself cautioned his disciples that they would face tribulation in this world, but they should not lose heart, for He had overcome the world (John 16:33). Even Jesus expressed lament, as recorded in Luke 13:34–35 ESV: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
