How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Questions
1. Often our complaints come from a place of fear. What do you fear today? Watch for ways that God is shielding you from that which you fear.
2. In spite of feeling forgotten by or angry at God, the lament psalmists reach out to God. Try expressing your alienation, grief, or anger to God. Listen for God’s response.
3. Pay attention to what the psalmists are asking of God. In times of discomfort, what is it that you truly want Express this desire to God.
4. Sometimes the psalmists speak directly to God, and sometimes they just talk about God. What helps you express grief and frustration? Verbalizing your complaint? Writing in a journal? Talking to others?