The Way to Lament
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Emotion
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Social
Address
Address
Playing your parents
Playing your parents
How many of you growing up knew how to play your parents? I’m not talking about pitting them against each other, I’m talking about knowing which parent to approach for the highest success possibility.
I would get dad to go along with opening presents before approaching mom because she was the hard sell.
If you could attach real feelings to the issue chances were mom would feel empathy and help you out.
Address
Address
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Ps
“How long, O LORD”
In , like other laments, the address is short, “How long, O LORD?,” stated at the beginning of the psalm, and repeated later, “O LORD, my God!” (v. 3). Hymns of praise and songs of thanksgiving typically address God in elaborate words of descriptive praise: “O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth” (8:1) or “The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength” (93:1). But those who lament have neither the serenity nor the luxury of time for such expansive words.
The sound no parent wants to hear, the blood curdling scream of a child, “Daddy” of immense fear, uncertainty, etc.
God came looking for Adam..... he comes looking for you.
Complaint
Complaint
As in many psalms, the precise nature of the psalmist’s pain and sorrow is ambiguous; it could be physical, psychological, social, spiritual, or a combination of any of these.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Rhetorical in nature
Much as when someone asks how much longer a sermon will last, the question is a thinly veiled complaint that the sermon is too long.
THE PROBLEM - rhetorical questions implying the urgency of a solution.
Much as when someone asks how much longer a sermon will last, the question is a thinly veiled complaint that the sermon is too long.
THE ENEMIES - even when others aren’t the problem they often make it worse.
They may be the root cause of our demise, or they may be taking full advantage of our sudden weakness for their own benefit. But in any case, their presence cannot be ignored in an honest assessment of our trouble.
GOD’S PLACE - This is a deep faith question. “God I don’t question your goodness, I question the result.”
It’s hard to experience suffering where you expect safety.
Trouble
Trouble
As in many psalms, the precise nature of the psalmist’s pain and sorrow is ambiguous; it could be physical, psychological, social, spiritual, or a combination of any of these.
Enemies
Enemies
They may be the root cause of our demise, or they may be taking full advantage of our sudden weakness for their own benefit. But in any case, their presence cannot be ignored in an honest assessment of our trouble.
Request
Request
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
This request is rooted in the deep belief that God can save you from your suffering. The language is metaphorical but connected to real desires.
Motivation
Motivation
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
Psalm 13:3-
My dad’s favorite thing is to have the wait staff know his face and his order when he walks in the restaurant.
For many readers, the most shocking element of lament is not naming God as part of the problem but the freedom with which psalmists try to persuade God to act.
Confidence
Confidence
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Amen - “This is most certainly true.”