Light
Notes
Transcript
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A Testimony of Asaph. A Psalm.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us!
3 Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
4 O Lord God of hosts, How long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in great measure.
6 You have made us a strife to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.
9 You prepared room for it, And caused it to take deep root, And it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with its shadow, And the mighty cedars with its boughs.
11 She sent out her boughs to the Sea, And her branches to the River.
12 Why have You broken down her hedges, So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?
13 The boar out of the woods uproots it, And the wild beast of the field devours it.
14 Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, And visit this vine
15 And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, And the branch that You made strong for Yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
18 Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
Light
Light
Americans live in a culture that struggles to make room for negative emotions. Few employers provide bereavement leave, and those that do only provide a few days and limit it to specific family members. We are pushed and encouraged to speed through feelings of hatred, fear, sadness, and grief.
Perhaps this is why so many of us assume God is too busy or reluctant to hear our bad emotions. Perhaps since our society tells us that these feelings should be avoided, repressed, or rushed, we begin to believe that we can't be furious with God. Perhaps we are concerned about the consequences of fully expressing our sentiments.
There is a very real tendency to downplay the significance of negative emotions. When I teach about emotions such as joy or sadness, happiness or anger, or grief or sorrow I always tell my patient that those emotions or feelings are neither good or bad, positive or negative. Emotions and feelings are something that God has instilled in us. The problem is when we try to ignore them or we react to them in an unhealthy way that they cause use problems.
People might say things like, "It's not that bad," or "Others have it worse," dismissing the depth of their own feelings.
Many individuals divert their attention from negative emotions by staying excessively busy. This constant distraction prevents them from confronting their true feelings.
Social media platforms often become a space for portraying an idealized version of life. People may avoid sharing negative emotions online, contributing to the illusion that everyone else is leading perfect, happy lives.
Research shows that a significant number of employers, especially in the United States, offer limited or no bereavement leave. This lack of dedicated time for individuals to process grief contributes to the societal reluctance in addressing it.
Studies indicate that mental health stigma still exists, hindering individuals from openly discussing and addressing negative emotions. Fear of judgment or professional repercussions often leads to silence.
Many individuals under report or do not seek help for mental health issues due to the fear of being stigmatized. This contributes to a larger societal problem where negative emotions are not adequately acknowledged or addressed.
The Advent season is often portrayed as a time of joy, celebration, and anticipation. This cultural expectation mirrors the broader societal pressure to focus on positive emotions, leaving little space for grief and lament.
However, the true themes of Advent encompass both anticipation and longing. The season involves waiting for the coming of Christ, acknowledging the brokenness of the world and the yearning for redemption.
Embracing lament during Advent becomes a counter-cultural practice. It challenges the cultural norm of rushing past negative emotions and encourages individuals to engage with the deeper, more profound aspects of their spiritual and emotional lives.
The Advent narrative itself holds space for lament. The waiting, the darkness, and the uncertainty experienced by individuals in the biblical narrative resonate with the very emotions people might be avoiding. Connecting with the true essence of Advent allows for a more authentic experience of both grief and hope.
Let’s explore what the Psalmist has to say here and explore what it means to practice lament even in the midst of joy and celebration.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us!
3 Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
To lament is to be honest
To lament is to be honest
There is an entire book of the Bible that addresses lament. The book of Lamentations. Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet was brutally honest about his feelings. He starts his book with these words Lamentations 1:1 “1 Oh, no! She sits alone, the city that was once full of people. Once great among nations, she has become like a widow. Once a queen over provinces, she has become a slave.” The further you read the more you experience his raw emotions.
Naming reality is the start of lament.
When doctors must inform someone of their death, they must use the word "die." They cannot use euphemisms because people may misinterpret their message if they are not clear.
For people who have experienced loss, grief, or trauma, naming reality is essential.
The word "gaslighting" refers to when someone else denies someone's reality, prompting that person to question their own reality. Saying things like, "it wasn't that bad," or failing to believe another person's lived experience, can cause this type of questioning, which leads to greater problems and damage in the long term.
When we name our painful reality, we can process and cope with it in ways that we cannot when we ignore it.
When we are unable to acknowledge the reality in which we live, anxiety and its repercussions increase.
This is something we may have experienced in our own lives, in large and small ways: repressing emotions only works for so long. It has physical effects, such as rage outbursts, burnout, and so forth.
Coping with and processing reality is why psychotherapy works so well—because acknowledging and speaking a reality is the path to recovery.
Naming reality is important for those who are listening.
Collective healing can occur when someone hears and recognizes their own narrative in the story of another. "It's not just me," or more accurately, "I thought I was the only one."
When a community recognizes the truth jointly, it may heal together.
It is difficult to address a need that no one knows it is there
Living in community entails taking care of one another. Knowing the needs of others allows the community to meet those needs while also recognizing where the community has been hurting rather than helping.
What is meant to be helpful can often cause pain, and it is critical for the community to hear and acknowledge the truth, even if it is painful, in order to genuinely be a helpful and empowered community.
4 O Lord God of hosts, How long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in great measure.
6 You have made us a strife to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
In his book, "The Spiritual Awakeners," which delves into American revivalists, Keith J. Hardman delineates five distinct phases of God's transformative work.
Initially, a period of spiritual depression, apathy, and moral decline typically precedes a revival.
Secondly, a small faction of God's followers becomes acutely aware of their sins and spiritual lapses, prompting repentance and a fervent desire for a fresh outpouring of God's grace.
The third phase sees the emergence of leaders endowed with prophetic insights into both the root causes of prevailing issues and the potential remedies. A renewed revelation of God's holiness then sparks a collective pursuit of that holiness among God's people.
The fourth phase marks the actual awakening, capable of both revitalizing the church and extending its influence to those outside its current reach.
Lastly, the awakening may serve as God's groundwork for fortifying His people to confront and overcome future challenges or trials.
The Psalmist appears to be at that second phase - crying out for God’s help.
Lament accounts for 70% of the Psalms but less than 50% of modern worship music.
The majority of modern praise-and-worship songs are not laments, which creates a culture that wishes to ignore these more "negative" thoughts and experiences in the worship group.
Ignoring the reality of lament is problematic because it may induce us to project onto God the false reality that God does not care about our honest emotions or experiences, or that we must present ourselves in a certain manner before God would accept us.
When we ignore lament, we build a community that struggles to accept people where they are and for who they are. This type of group ceases attempting to sympathize with circumstances to which they cannot identify, resulting in problems with justice, confession, and repentance.
Lament is normalized in the Psalms as part of life in a broken world.
Lament is normalized in the Psalms as part of life in a broken world.
The majority of psalms are laments, indicating that they are not small experiences. Difficult feelings are a normal component of the human experience. We all have them! Difficult feelings are also a part of the faith experience.
Some of our tough experiences are communal rather than individual.
The notion that "some of our tough experiences are communal rather than individual" emphasizes the shared nature of certain difficulties and challenges. We frequently face hardships and tribulations in life that reach beyond our personal dlives and have an impact on wider populations. This community component of hardship has various dimensions that are worth investigating.
Many difficulties transcend individual lives and pervade the social fabric. Poverty, inequality, and structural injustice are all collective experiences that affect many people in a community.
Certain catastrophes, whether natural disasters, violent crimes, or cultural changes, can cause collective trauma in a whole community. In order to heal and recover from such disasters, a community response is required.
Shared problems may occur within religious or faith communities, such as questioning beliefs, confronting doubts, or navigating through moments of spiritual dryness. These encounters are not confined to individuals, but can also be shared with congregations.
Family and relationship conflicts can transcend individual dynamics. Divorce, illness, or financial difficulties can all have a large impact on family members, friends, and even entire communities.
Coping with a tragedy or grieving the loss of a loved one is a shared experience. Communities join together to offer support, share memories, and navigate the grief process as a whole.
Recognizing that some difficult experiences are shared develops a sense of shared responsibility and solidarity. It brings communities together to offer support, empathy, and communal solutions. Recognizing that issues are communal in nature promotes open communication, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to resilience and healing.
Lament should be welcomed rather than avoided. In addition to the numerous psalms that lament, there is an entire book of the Bible devoted to lament (Lamentations). Lament is an element of what it means to follow God.
Look back again at verse 1
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!
In this Psalm, the people are blaming God for their situation. It is their own fault they are in the situation that they are in. Now, they are crying out in this Psalm for God to make the move.
Psalm 80:5 “5 You’ve fed them bread made of tears; you’ve given them tears to drink three times over!”
Psalm 80:6 “6 You’ve put us at odds with our neighbors; our enemies make fun of us.”
Psalm 80:12 “12 So why have you now torn down its walls so that all who come along can pluck its fruit,”
People often see God as the source of all good and evil, but they frequently suffer the consequences of their own choices. Despite the fact that they are the cause of their current situation, they vent their rage toward God.
Sometimes we do this too—blame God for things that are not God’s fault. This is similar to the ways we today place blame on God for things that are often not God’s fault.
Despite blaming God for their predicament, they affirm and believe that God is trustworthy, loving, and good. They pray to God to restore them, hoping that God will hear them and answer.
This is not the behavior of someone who believes God will punish them. This is the act of someone who is safe in their relationship with a God who has proven to be good.
They acknowledge God's past faithfulness in verse 8-11. Psalm 80:8-11
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.
9 You prepared room for it, And caused it to take deep root, And it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with its shadow, And the mighty cedars with its boughs.
11 She sent out her boughs to the Sea, And her branches to the River.
They are begging for that goodness to be repeated, indicating their faith that if God cared for them then, God will care for them again.
This grief is filled with hope. They address God in the hope that God would listen and react. They are not concerned about God's reaction. They yearn for it because they expect a salvific and loving reaction.
The hope is seen clearly in the words used in the King James Version in verses 3, 7, and 19.
3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
The phrase “Turn us again,” is a cry of desperation, it a a cry of hope that just as God acted in the past he will act again.
The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 14: Psalms 73–150 Complaint: How Long?
George Whitefield, the great Methodist evangelist of the eighteenth-century revival, recounts in his journal of November 5, 1740, that while he was preaching with Gilbert Tennant, the Presbyterian revivalist and educator, a man cried out: “He is come! He is come!” Whitefield continues, “[that the man] could scarce sustain the manifestation of Jesus to his soul. But having heard the crying of others for the like favor [this] obliged me to stop, and I prayed over them as I saw their agonies and distress increase.” Whitefield goes on, “At length we sang an hymn and then retired to the house, where the man that received Christ continued praising and speaking of Him until near midnight. My own soul was so full that I retired and wept before the Lord, and had a deep sense of my own vileness and the sovereignty and greatness of God’s everlasting love.”
In the absence of revival, the “neighbors” of Christ, those looking at Him, like the neighbors of Israel, see a powerless, defeated church and are in confusion while His enemies laugh and scorn His name.
Every aching heart's cry is to be saved. We read about a people who had waited for the Messiah for years, despite silence and injustice. In that waiting, there is a lament: Where is God? What is God up to? Has God forgotten about us?
However, there is hope in the middle of the longing. People are seeking, watching, and hoping that God will hear and react to their prayers.
We see this in the lives of God's devout followers: Anna and Simeon, Mary and Joseph, and even the Magi who gazed into the heavens.
We have much to lament in our life, whether it is our own traumas and experiences, our communal traumas and experiences as a spiritual community, or our societal sins.
Lament is not the opposite of hope.
Lament is not the opposite of hope.
Lamenting allows us to hope and believe in God's faithfulness: God will be present with us (Immanuel), we will be freed from sin, and we will be saved.
Hopeful laments open us up to a healthy and full community with one another.
Lament leads us to hope based on truth and God's faithfulness.
Look again at verse 19
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
That is hope!
It may be tempting for some to skip over lament—to ignore the great majority of psalms that are lament psalms, to skip ahead to the happy parts of the story—but doing so would miss the beauty in the middle of the grief. Even amid grief, there is hope. Lament reminds us that God is huge enough for the entire human experience—even the difficult parts. Lament helps us recall that God has been and will continue to be faithful. Lament helps us recall that when we confess the truth to God and to one another, we are better, healthier, and more whole. We are open to confession, repentance, and the beauty of resurrection life in the midst of it all while we lament.
As we reflect on the first Sunday of Advent, we recall that Christ came to be the light of the world, but we also remember a God who continues to come, who continues to show up and love us even in the midst of our suffering, grief, loss, and trauma. And we yearn for Christ to return, to meet our deepest needs and heal our deepest wounds. We sing our laments, confident that he hears us and hoping that he would return.