Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy; Element One

Over the next four weeks, I hope to help us dig into this concept of lament by examining the four key elements of lament and teaching us as a church how to utilize lament in our spiritual walk.

Outline

Big Idea: Lament begins when we turn our hearts to prayer.

Turn our Hearts to prayer

Cry out to God - Psalm 77:1-2.

Pray your struggles - Psalm 77:2-4.

Pray your questions - Psalm 77:5-9.

Prayer turns us around - Psalm 77:10-12.

Pray the gospel - Psalm 77:16, 19-20.

Sermon Body

First Element: Turning our hearts to prayer – Psalm 77

Psalm 77 ESV

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph. 1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah 4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago. 6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: 7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? 8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah 10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. 13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? 14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. 15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. 17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. 18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. 19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Big Idea: Lament begins when we turn our hearts to prayer.

Cry Out to God - Psalm 77:1-2

Psalm 77:1–2 ESV

1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

Reading Psalm 5:1-6, the other day, these words become the focus of my meditation

Psalm 5:1–6 ESV

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. 2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. 3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. 4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Both of these passages speak about crying to the Lord and PLEADING for his attention. Both involve a beseeching of the throne of God, for God’s ear.

Tim Keller, commenting on Psalm 5 said...

He [God] expects us to come to him for refuge from our grief, fear, and pain and not to dull those emotions with amusement and distractions that promise, but can never deliver, blessing. Tim Keller

As I meditated on those words, words with Ps 77:1-2 here echo, I journaled this...

Abba, how often do I drown my sorrow, grief, stress and weariness in the distraction of brainless games (ipad) instead of turning to you? Probably too often. May I delight to desire to run to you first and foremost for the comfort of my heart and soul. May I not take comfort in the vain distractions of this world. For, in the end, what kind of comfort are they really?

Church, where do you turn when grief, worry, or pain strike? What is your first, even second or third, impulse of where you run to find comfort, security, and protection?

For most of the world it is food, drugs, sex, violence, or amusement.

Is your FIRST impulse to run to God in prayer?

Think about it…where does a child run when they are sad or scared? Parents.

Where does a wife run to when she is grieved, stressed, or hurt? Husband (hopefully; in a healthy relationship).

Etc.

Point is, we all have someone or something that makes us feel safe, comfortable, and who eases our suffering or pain just by their sheer presence.

IS THAT PERSON GOD, for us?

In the face of danger, pain, grief, is your first impulse to pray, to seek comfort in the scriptures?

Is it?

It takes faith to pray a lament

Silent despair is worse than our fear of praying openly and honestly. Silent despair is the ultimate manifestation of unbelief. It resides in hopeless resignation of a God who does not care.

Mark Vroegop

Why don’t we cry out to God?

Don’t trust him.

Not intimate enough to do so.

Don’t think we are permitted too.

Consider the words of Psalm 34.

Psalm 34:4–7 ESV

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psalm 34:15–22 ESV

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

These verses not only detail God’s ability but his willingness.

These verses detail God’s desire to be intimate and personal.

This Psalm silences the objection of all those who might be hesitate to draw near.

When we turn to him in prayer, what are we to pray?

Pray Your Struggles – Psalm 77:2-4

Psalm 77:2–4 ESV

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah 4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

Are you honest with God about your struggles?

Your fear?

Your doubt?

Your anger?

Your desire?

Your pain?

Your sorrow and grief?

Your temptation?

David, in full honestly and openness, shows us how deep his despair and grief. “When I remember God, when I meditate, my spirit faints…I am so troubled, I cannot speak.”

Do you feel free to share the depth of your pain?

Do you feel free to express your struggle to him?

What are some examples in scripture, besides David, who did so?

Naomi - Ruth 1:20-21.

Famine sent her from her homeland

While in a foreign land, she loses her husband and sons, leaving her with only two foreign daughter in laws.

She is left without a male provider.

She laments. For her, she falls into despair. Hers does not initially lead to trust and worship, though by the end God remembers Naomi and blesses her.

Job. Job 1:20-21.

This can be seen as a prayer. His attention was directed towards God. Sometimes, in our grief and suffering, that is all we can manage.

Job 3 exposes a more extensive lament. His lament was so deep, he wishes he was not born.

The testimony of Job’s life is seen in Job 1:22.

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet (Lamentations)

Jeremiah’s lament acknowledges the circumstance is due to rebellion and sin. It does not stop the lament. Even when our circumstances is of our own making, we can lament. The lament, a proper lament will include repentance, or else it is just complaint, but even when our sin leads to suffering…which is always does…lament will lead to and include repentance.

Daniel - Daniel 9:1-19.

Daniel’s lament is also in reference to the sin that has led to their current slavery and oppression.

Dan 9:6-19 he calls for God’s MERCY. He is not making his request on behalf of THEIR righteousness BUT ON GOD’s Mercy! His lament over their sin and their oppression turns to cries for God mercy and faithfulness.

Daniel’s heart is one of repentance and faith and it moves his heart to request God’s forbearance.

Let me take you to one example, the first one that came to my own mind whenI considered others in scripture who lamented.

Hannah

1 Samuel 1:1-18.

1 Samuel 1:1–18 ESV

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” 9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Hannah’s grief was so deep that Eli presumed her to be drunk. He mistook her deep grief for sinful intoxication.

What is notable, among other things, about her case is that GOD HEARD HER and GOD ANSWERED HER.

It is ok to pour out our hearts and pain to God. He hears and responds.

There is no guarantee of WHEN or HOW God will hear the laments of his people and respond, but as Mark Vreogop states...

Lament is the song you sing believing that one day God will answer and restore. Mark Vroegop

That restoration and answer may well not come to eternity, but do you believe it will come? Do you believe and trust your suffering is temporary? Do you say with the apostle Paul...

2 Cor 4:16-18.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Do you pour out your struggles to God?

Further, pray your questions...

Pray Your Questions – Psalm 77:5-9

Psalm 77:5–9 ESV

5 I consider the days of old, the years long ago. 6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: 7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? 8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

Ever have questions?

What are some specific questions that people, even yourself perhaps, have asked of God?

Ever question God?

I have referenced this book before, but Philip Yancey’s book, Disappointment with God addresses these three questions...

If God is so hungry for relationship with us, why does he seem so distant?

If God cares for us, why do bad things happen?

If God's promises are true, why do they feel so far off from personal experience?

Is it legitimate to ask these questions? Are they valid questions? Certainly!

Many struggle with how a good God allows such bad things to happen.

We could spend all day just digging into those questions. I won’t for that is not the purpose of today.

The point is, we all have questions at times.

In fact, I would contend that until you ask the questions and grapple with the answers, your faith does not become rooted, grounded, and your own.

The questions are good as they force us to examine our faith and come to resolution on where we stand.

Do you ask your questions of God?

Vreogop notes...

The psalmist wrestles with why God isn’t doing more. He begins to “consider the days of old,” to “remember my song in the night,” to “meditate in my heart,” and to make “a diligent search” (77:5–6).

Asaph grapples with deep and troubling questions to him. He puts voice to them.

This painful search leads to six pointed rhetorical questions:

“Will the Lord spurn forever?” (v. 7).

“Will [he] never again be favorable?” (v. 7).

“Has his steadfast love forever ceased?” (v. 8).

“Are his promises at an end for all time?” (v. 8).

“Has God forgotten to be gracious?” (v. 9).

“Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” (v. 9).

Vroegop notes that these are rhetorical questions…which means the answers are implied and obvious. NO.

Does the psalmist really believe God isn’t loving, doesn’t keep his promises, and is unfaithful? I don’t think so, and the rest of the psalm will bear this out. But he does something important here.

Praying honestly recognizes that pain and suffering often create difficult emotions that are not based upon truth but feel true, nonetheless. Mark Vroegop

However truth is, though our minds may tell us otherwise, at times, we struggle with FEELING like these might be true.

The glory of the scripture and the Spirit is this…so often when I ask my hard questions, words of scripture, but the Spirit’s prompting, come unbidden to my heart and mind.

God is not scared of our questions.

He has the answers.

So, the even more important, do you look for the answers to the questions we wrestle with?

Do you seek to resolve the questions of faith that beset us?

Prayer Turns Us Around – Psalm 77:10-12

Psalm 77:10–12 ESV

10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

IMMEDIATELY after asking his six rhetorical questions, Asaph turns to this...

I will appeal to this....

I will remember...

I will ponder...

I will appeal to this...

I will appeal to truth...

I will appeal to the faithfulness of God...

I will appeal the the unchangeable, reliable standard for truth, for reliability.

An appeal is...

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition appeal

an application (as to a recognized authority) for corroboration, vindication, or decision

The basis for Asaph’s plea, his cry.

Psalm 77:10 ESV

10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

Asaph is appealing to God because He is God. He is eternal. He is divine. He is omnipotent.

He knows the answers to his questions. He knows they are only questions asked in the mire of emotions.

He now makes his appeal, his plea based on TRUTH.

He now stakes his claim and his hope on something more solid and reliable than his emotions....THE PERSON AND BEING OF AN ETERNAL GOD.

I will remember....

Immediately mind and the Spirit within me bring passages such as these to mind.

Romans 12:1-2.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Cor 10:5.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

In all we feel and all the questions we have, there comes a point where we must* call to mind what we know to be true. (*My emphasis) Mark Vroegop

Asaph is in despair. His soul refuses to be comforted. He feels abandoned and forsaken by God.

BUT THESE ARE FEELINGS and not truth.

Feelings are fickle.

His questions are rhetorical. He knows the answer to them.

Therefore, what must he do? RENEW HIS MIND. TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT and REMEMBER TRUTH. To shove back the emotions the emotions that threaten to write a new “truth,” he must wage the real war in his ind and REMEMBER....HE MUST CALL TO MIND....

I will call to mind the DEEDS of the Lord

Deeds that reveal his trustworthiness

Deeds that reveal his character

Deeds that reveal his heart.

The truth his, our emotions after overshadow truth. Fear, anger, sorrow…they shout louder truth. At times, we have to PURPOSEFULLY, DELIBERATELY, and REPEATEDLY call to mind TRUTH.

But he goes further....

I will ponder

Remembering is calling to mind events or truths that have taken place.

Meditation is different.

What is the difference between remembering and meditating?

It is deeper than mere remembering.

To meditate on the Scriptures is to think about them, turning them over in our minds, and applying them to our life’s situations… The objective of our meditation is application – obedience to the Scriptures. Copied from The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, © 1996, p. 99-100.

Even Asaph here distinguishes between the two.

Psalm 77:3.

Psalm 77:3 ESV

3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

Ps 77:11-12.

Psalm 77:11–12 ESV

11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Asaph draws a clear distinction between the two.

Meditation is deeper than mere remembering.

Disciplined meditation on Scripture helps us focus on God. Meditation helps us view worship as a discipline. It involves our mind and understanding as well as our heart and affections. It works Scripture through the texture of the soul. Meditation helps prevent vain and sinful thoughts (Matthew 12:35) and provides inner resources on which to draw (Psalm 77:10-12), including direction for daily life (Proverbs 6:21-22). Meditation fights temptation (Psalm 119:11, 15), provides relief in afflictions (Isaiah 49:15-17), benefits others (Psalm 145:7), and glorifies God (Psalm 49:3). Joel Beeke

Meditation is the motivation and fuel for prayer.

As it is the sister of reading, so it is the mother of prayer. Though a man’s heart be much indisposed to prayer, yet, if he can but fall into a meditation of God, and the things of God, his heart will soon come off to prayer… Begin with reading or hearing. Go on with meditation; end in prayer… Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing.

The Works of the Reverend William Bridge, Soli Deo Gloria, 1989, v. 3., p. 132, 154.

Meditation takes time and thoughtfulness. Meditation takes effort and work. But it’s fruit, it’s reward is worth every bit of the work.

Remember that it is not hasty reading, but serious meditation on holy and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian. Thomas Brooks

It is not lost on me that some of the best thoughts on meditation that I have read have come from the Puritans. In truth, they had an understanding and a passion for meditation that we have lost or cast aside.

Prayer turns us around because the prayer finds it rooting and grounding in the person prayed to. It draws its passion and motivation; it’s strength and urgency; it’s hope and confidence FROM THE REMEMBERING of truth and the MEDITATING upon truths that have become sweet to the soul.

Listen, church, prayer is an essential element to lament. Lament begins when we turn our hearts to prayer.

Lament is how we learn to live between the poles of a hard life and God’s goodness. Mark Vroegop

ACTS Prayer pattern - Example. There is a reason that supplication is at the end, after Adoration, Confession, and Thanksgiving.

Prayer turns us around from our agenda to Gods.

Prayer turns us around from our limited view to God’s eternal one.

Prayer turns us around from our hopelessness to hope.

Prayer turns our focus to where it should be.

Which brings us to the final point, when we pray, we ought to pray the gospel.

Pray the Gospel – Psalm 77:16, 19-20.

Psalm 77 concludes with the ultimate moment that defined the people of Israel and their relationship with God: the exodus. The psalmist remembers this defining moment in Jewish history as God demonstrated his faithfulness and love:

Psalm 77:16, 19-20.

Psalm 77:16 ESV

16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.

Psalm 77:19–20 ESV

19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Vroegop notes....

Do you see what is happening here? The psalmist anchors his questioning, his hurting heart, to the single greatest redemptive event in the life of Israel. This moment defined his understanding of God’s character. The exodus was an anchor for his weary soul.

For the Christian, the exodus event—the place where we find ultimate deliverance—is the cross of Christ. This is where all our questions—our heartaches and pain—should be taken. The cross shows us that God has already proven himself to be for us and not against us.

Romans 8:36-39 (which cites Psalm 44)

Romans 8:36–39 ESV

36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is one of those arsenal verses.

When your emotions would betray you; when your heart would fail; when God seems far away; when your spirit faints within you, pray the gospel. Preach the gospel to yourself.

Jesus obtained the right to turn all our hurts, sorrows, pains, and trials into something good.

Even if we are “being killed all the day long”

Even if we are “regarded as sheep to be slaughtered”

What does verse 37 say? We are MORE than conquerors.

What is Paul confident of? I AM SURE…NOTHING…will be able to separate us from the love of God.

It is the gospel that makes this true. THUS, we need to pray it and rest upon it.

Conclusion

Big Idea: Lament begins when we turn our hearts to prayer.

Turn our Hearts to prayer

Cry out to God - Psalm 77:1-2.

Pray your struggles - Psalm 77:2-4.

Pray your questions - Psalm 77:5-9.

Prayer turns us around - Psalm 77:10-12.

Pray the gospel - Psalm 77:16, 19-20.

Lament begins with prayer.

In your season of grieving, sorrow, and trial, turn your heart to prayer, for this is where we must begin.

God is ok with our lament but our lament must turn us to toward Him. This is what we will see over the coming weeks as we examine what it means to lament.

As we learn together how to do this, I pray that we will ever be growing together to become more like Jesus for he glory of God.

Application

In your own words, what makes lament Christian? Why does it take faith to lament?

It turns to God. It will result in CHOOSING TRUST (Element Four). It is not merely complaining but a running to God in the midst of our suffering and hurt.

It takes faith to lament because we are looking to someone besides ourselves for our source of strength, hope, peace, and stability.

Describe a time when you found it difficult to pray because you were suffering. What were the circumstances or the reasons for your silence?

What are some of the hard and painful questions that you’ve asked God over the years?

As you think back on God’s faithfulness, where has he proven himself to be trustworthy?

What portions of Scripture do you use to anchor your soul to who God is?

How is lament connected to your theology?

How does the cross become the ultimate anchor and resolution for our suffering and pain?

Take a few minutes and talk to God about whatever is in your soul as you conclude this chapter. Tell him your pain, share your questions, affirm your trust, and ask him to keep you trusting.

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