Psalm 44

Are sermon series in the Book of Psalms which could last ten or fifteen years? We look at the songs over the summer. And if you do the county you think it shouldn't take that long, but you got to remember there's Psalm 119 there and that's going to take a long time. So we're going to pick up in Psalm 44 and we're going to go to the next to eight or nine weeks through song in this sermon. I have entitled very simply lament element. And here's the main idea for the sermon what I hope to convey to you as we look at Psalm 44 to process the pain of suffering. In the midst of suffering we must learn to Lament. To process the pain of suffering in the midst of suffering. We must learn to lament a dictionary definition for lament would be something like this an expression of grief or sorrow a lamentation and a lament Psalm is a Psalm in which a crisis is described and God's assistance is invoked. Now. I have a resource that I want to bring to your attention that has been very helpful for me in regards to this and which I cite extensively in this sermon. In fact, I quote this book in this sermon more than I ever have called any book in any sermon. The book is called dark clouds deep Mercy dark clouds deep Mercy discovering the grace of lament and it's by Mark vroegop. Mark vroegop now, I'm going to put my whole sermon notes online will send it out in the email. The name of the book will be on there a link to the sermon series that he gave in regards to this will be on there so you can check that out. But I I just can't strongly enough recommend this book to you in regards to lament. I think it has been so helpful to me and understanding but here's something the author says he says lament can be defined as a loud cry a howl or a passionate expression of grief. However in the Bible lament is more than sorrow or talking about sadness it is more than walking through the stages of grief lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust Me say that again lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust House Road scriptures lament gives voice to the strong emotions the Believers feel because of suffering because of difficulties because of what they're going through and lament is a god-given way to wrestle with the spiritual and emotional and physical in relational and Theological struggles that inevitably surface in life. And it's a way to wrestle with them particularly in the time of suffering and difficulty lament pursues the answers to two questions. And you see them throughout the songs and in the Psalms of lament. Where are you God In This Moment of difficulty and struggle. Where are you? And the second question if you love me, why is this happening? If you love me, why is this happening in these lament can be individual expressions or as we see today? They can be very corporate expressions and they can focus on a variety of situations. They can focus on just difficulties in general. They can focus on difficulties brought about by my own sin. Or they can be laments about difficulties brought on by someone else's sin directed towards you. We don't need to understand lament is not the opposite of Praise instead lament has a path to praise as we are lead through difficulties and Brokenness and disappointment. Let me read from vroegop again. This space between Brokenness and God's Mercy is where this song is sung. Think of a mantis the transition between pain and promise lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the Paradox of pain and the promise of God's goodness.

Well, why do we lament? Why is lament necessary? Why is this something that is at least part of at least 1/3 of the Psalms more likely a half of the Psalms. Well, we lament because we believe in God's mercy and his Redemption and his sovereignty see if we didn't open those things if we didn't open his salvation and we didn't wholeheartedly believe that he is all-powerful and all-loving there would be no need to Lament. Because the paint even though we might not like it would make more sense to us. Wheelman because we believe God is who he says he is and because sin and its effects in the world are real. Willamette because this is the means by which we are able to live and even flourish between the pressure of the pain and the pleasure of the promise that God gives

lament provides a language for us that anchors our hearts to what we know is true until our emotions are in agreement with what we know to be true. Robot says this when the circumstances of Life create dark clouds, I hope you'll come to embrace lament as a divinely given liturgy leading you to Mercy this historic song gives you permission to vocalize your pain as it moves you toward god-centered worship and Trust. Lamented how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting in God's sovereignty lamented how we bring our Soro to God without lament. We won't know how to process pain silence bitterness and even anger can dominate our spiritual eyes instead without lament. We won't know how to help people walking through Soro instead will offer trait Solutions unhelpful comments or inpatient responses. What's more without this sacred song of Sorrow will miss the lessons historical events are intended to teach us lament is how Christians grief

It is how to help hurting people the Mendes how we learn important truths about God in our world my personal and pastoral experience has convinced me that biblical a mint is not only a gift but also and neglected to mention of the Christian life for many 21st century Christians a broken World in an increasingly hostile culture make contemporary Christian the unbalanced and limited in the hope we offer if we neglect this minor key song. We need to recover the ancient practice of Lament. So, how do we do it? How do we lament? Well, most biblical immense follow a pattern and we'll see you today the pattern we seeing some 44 that was different than many of the elements. It has all the components but in a different order and I I think I know why and we'll talk about that in a moment. But here are the four key elements of a lament and address to God a complaint or request and an expression of trust or praise until four words will look at today in regards the lament in general but in regards to Psalm 44, we need to turn to God In Prayer complain. This is a doozy is a difficult one. Complained clearly and bluntly laser. The reasons behind the Soro were facing. Ask we need to ask God boldly. To be involved in whatever it is. We're struggling with and finally you lie Every Lie every lemon ends with renewed trust and praise. God says finding an explanation or quick solution for grief while an admirable goal can circumvent the opportunity afforded in lament to get a person permission to wrestle with Zoro instead of rushing to end it walking through Sorrel without understanding and embracing the god-given song of lament can stunt the grieving process. You see church. I think we do ourselves a disservice when we don't follow the Bible's example of how we are to deal with grief and sorrow and pain and suffering. Recent events of our world have caused me to really consider the importance of lament and consider consider how our in general lack of ability to lament has made things worse. I was thinking about the whole issue of racial tension. That's being felt around the world, but specifically the racial tension within churches. And you need to understand there is much that I disagree with and how our culture and our society is describing the reality of what is happening and how they are laying out the reality of what has happened in the past and how they are seeking a way forward. There's much that I disagree with what I'm hearing even voices inside the church. Who are trying to give direction and trying to find and Forge a way forward in my estimation often present suggestions and arguments of plans that are at best a logical and at worst unbiblical. even if offered with the best intentions and so I look around and I read social media and I read articles and I talk to people and it's clear. We are in a bad spot. There's no doubt about it. And I don't know what all the answers are. I'm going to keep listening and keep learning. But what I have contemplated this week is what role Lament. Could have played and should have played in the church in this time of trial. So we are not good at lamentin. Our society is not in our North American churches are not and what I wondered about was what would this conversation? Sound like if we seriously and sincerely lamented with people of color in regards to the pain and the heartache they have experienced and are experiencing. Maybe we don't have the answers. Maybe we can agree on a way forward. But how would the conversation have changed? If we as a church had it done a good job and a sincere job of lamenting the pain in the Soro of racism with our brothers and sisters. I think the conversation will be different. And so that's one example of why this is such an important topic in our day and age not to mention the personal tragedies that I hear about weekly that my brothers and sisters are walking through

So with possibly the longest introduction to sermon I've ever given over. Let's read Psalm 44.

to the choirmaster a maskil of the sons of Korah Oh God. We have heard with our ears. Our fathers have told us. What did you performed in their days in the days of old you with your own hand drove out the nation's but then you planted you Afflicted the people's but damn you set free from not by their own sword. Did they win the land north of their own arm save them but your right hand and your arm and the light of your face for you delighted in them. You are my king. Oh God ordained salvation for Jacob through you. We push down our foes through your name. We tread down those who rise up against us. We're not in my bow. Do I trust nor can my sword save me but you have saved us from our foes and of put to shame those who hate us in God. We have boasted continually and we will give thanks to your name forever Cielo. But you have rejected us and just Grace doesn't have not gone out with our armies. You have made us turned back from the following those who hate us have gotten spoil you have made us like sheep for Slaughter in a scattered us among the Nations. You have sold your people for a trifle the man in no high price for them. You have made us at Aunt of our neighbors the derision and Scorn of those around us. You have made us a byword among the Nations the laughingstock among the peoples all day long. My disgrace is before me and Shane has covered my face at the sound of the time to run reviler at the sight of the enemy and the Avengers. All this has come upon and so we have not forgotten you and we have not been false to your Covenant or hard has not turned back nor have our steps departed from your way yet. You have broken Us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign God would not God discover this for he knows the secrets of the heart yet for your sake. We are killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Awake. Why are you sleeping or Lord round yourself? Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget a reflection in oppression for our soul is bow down to the dust Arbella claims to the ground. Rise up come to our help redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love. Let's pray father God. We thank you for your word and it is a heavy word this morning.

And there's things here, which we probably don't understand in our clear to us father God but your word instructions and I pray that your spirit would help us this morning as we think about it talk about this idea of lament this god-given mechanism or means to pray through the pain of suffering.

Brother. This is something you have given us in your word and we want to do it. Well and Faithfully. That's why I pray you would help us. I pray you would help us to see. Our Salvation the comes through Christ even in the midst of suffering. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen or components to lament the first being the idea of turn turn to God. We see this in verses 1 through 3 Robot says belief in God creates challenging questions and lament provides the opportunity to reorient your hurting heart towards what is true, but in order for that to happen, you have to turn to prayer. The Israelites had been decimated in a battle. We don't know exactly which one but it is clear from this song. They had been beaten and beaten badly. And the pain of the defeat and the death and the suffering of the defeat was matched by the humiliation that they were going through.

And we see in that complaint which will get you a minute ago. Some serious questions put to God some serious complaints address to God about how badly they're hurt and yet noticed the first two words of Psalm 44. Oh God. The people turn to God in the midst of their pain in the midst of the suffering in the midst of the death in midst of the humiliation. They turn to God and they pray. They prayed The Works of God. They focused on God's work in redeeming his people from Egypt the whole conquest of the promised land in The Exodus is in view here. We have been told these things by their ancestors. They recognize that all the good that it, they had not achieved by themselves. It wasn't their own weapons or their own physical strength, but it was God who drove out the nations were their enemies it was God who planted them in this new land. It was god who caused them to flourish?

And the psalm of lament instructs us that no matter the difficulties no matter that is spare no matter the destitution or destruction or dejection that we are suffering. We must turn to God In Prayer. And we can pray about his works. But we also can praise will see our struggles and our questions and we could pray our pain and we can pray back to God his own words so we can pray about his character and most certainly as Disciples of Christ. We need to pray the gospel in these times. It's interesting that the psalmist in the laments almost always anchors his questioning and is hurting heart to the single greatest Redemptive event in the life of Israel. The Exodus in the conquest that's almost always where they go when they are lament and when they are going through something difficult when they have questions and difficulty, they latch on to the single greatest Redemptive event that they know about The Exodus in the conquest will we as Disciples of Christ need to do the same we need to yolk our prayers of frustration and pain to the single greatest Redemptive event in the history of the world the death and resurrection of Jesus. We need to turn to God In Prayer when things are difficult. We need to pray the gospel. If you're here this morning or listening online when we say gospel. We mean the great Christian truths about who Jesus Christ is and what Jesus Christ did Jesus Christ was the very Son of God living in community with the trinity in God's glory, but because of the sin of mankind which separated them from their God and which put them under his judgment and Wrath Because of that and for the desire to save his people the Son of God became a human it took on human flesh and he lived a life of perfect obedience to God a life of obedience to let him to death on the cross to pay the price for the sins of his people that their sins might be forgiven that they might be redeemed from death and futility. They might be brought out from under the wrath of God and they might be ushered into God's family. This is the gospel. And this is what we need to pray in times of difficulty. We need to turn to God with that great event. Now. There is a point of application here that I think is extremely important. And for those of you who are going through difficulties and suffering and pain I pray that you would listen closely. But for those of you who aren't in all likelihood you will before too long be in a similar position. And I pray you would listen to this application point in regards to turning to God refuse to give God the silent treatment refuse to give God the silent treatment. Listen to Woodrow. God says about this. He says it takes Faith to pray lament to pray and pain even with its messy struggle and tough questions is an Act of Faith or we open up our hearts to God prayer full length is better than silence. However, I found that many people are afraid of lament they find it too honest to open or too risky, but there's something far worse. silent despair Giving God, the silent treatment is the ultimate manifestation of unbelief despair lives under the Hopeless resignation that God doesn't care. He doesn't hear and nothing is ever going to change people who believe this stop praying they give up however lament directs our emotions by prayerfully vocalizing are hurt our questions and even our doubt turn into prayer through a mint is one of the deepest and most costly demonstrations of belief in God. Disappointed by unanswered prayers are frustrated by out of control circumstances people lined up in a spiritual desert unable or refusing to talk to God. This silence is a soul killer.

We need to turn to God's in our difficulties and lament teaches us how we can do that. Now the next facet in Psalm 44 is Trust. Will trust is supposed to come at the end normally and I was thinking about why this is the case. Why does the expression of trust come before the complaint and before the asking? My best guess is that this was such a devastating loss for the nation that the good news had to proceed the bad news or even though I meant might be too much to bear. You've been in situations normally in life. I think most of us if someone approaches us and says you want the good news or the bad news we generally so give me the bad news cuz then I'll be cheered up by the good news. Or you can imagine being in some situations where the burden is so great, and one more item of bad news will crush you. And so give me the good news first to help me hear what the bad news is I think that's what happens here that the nation is devastated. We see and hear it in the complaint they give and so we we get this picture of trust before we hear the bad news. Now these people have experienced God's works for themselves through God their foes have defeated. They say not to their own doing it's been God who is saved us not what we have tried to do. And so we see this expression of trust. We see it in the phrase. You are my king. Oh God, even though we've been decimated, even though our our armies been routed even though there's death and destruction even though we've been humiliated in front of our enemies. You are my king. Oh God. Is a demonstration of fealty in Allegiance? To God in the last line of this section says in God we have boasted continually and we will give thanks to your name forever. Robot says this is one reason why I'm passionate about lament. It has the possibility of providing a pathway and a language that allow people not only to deal with the reality of their pain, but also to be refocused on the trustworthiness of God as we wait for future Deliverance, our spiritual posture need not be passive while there may be painful circumstances beyond our control are waiting can be spiritually productive as we intentionally follow the past Pathway to trust That is why trust is active patients. We keep trusting by lamenting laments are designed to lead us toward decisive faith-filled worship learning to lament leads to that trust and that's why we need to lament in difficult difficult search with we need to move beyond the pain and the dose and it hurts and the questions to that place of faith in God. Well after the psalmist has given this expression of trust. He gives us a third aspect of lament complain. Now this section and these types of a passage in scripture have always caused me great difficulty, even in reading them to you out loud this morning. There was a tension in me to say those types of things even though I know it's God's word. That's all we need to be careful here. I looked up in the story of The Exodus this morning about 250 Israelites who Grumble and complain to go Moses in the ground swallow the month. And so we need to be careful. But I think there's a path here in regards to bringing our complaint to God that is clearly scriptural and will be for our benefit. Again, bro. Cop says this if you read the songs of Emmanuel discover a lot of creative complaining you'll find expressions of sorrow and fear and frustration and even confusion. In other words. The Bible is full of complaints and apparently they aren't sinful. In fact, they were set to music as an entire congregation saying their frustration imagine that where to put our complaints the music Let me continue here though. He says no, don't get me wrong. I'm not giving you permission to vent self-centered rage at God when life is not turned out like you planned. I'm not suggesting for a second. You have the right to be angry with God. I think that's always wrong. But I do think that there is a place for a kind of complaining that is biblical. In fact bringing. Your complaints is Central to lament. We see that the largest section of the song song of hers 9th to 25 contains people lamenting the disastrous defeat in the devastating humiliation. They have been true. And they're processing it in as far as they can tell from their perspective. These are the conclusions that they have arrived at.

And so we bring our questions to God. Why are you sleeping? Oh Lord. Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget a reflection and oppression? Can we bring her frustrations to God but you have rejected Us in disgrace that you have made us like sheep for Slaughter. You have sold your people for a trifle you have made us at Aunt of our neighbors yet. You have broken us and covered us with the shadow of death. Wow.

This is heavy stuff. But I think the churches and the individual Christians rejection of those type of prayers in the midst of difficulties is to their own detriment. Listen People, God knows what you're thinking anyways.

He knows what you're thinking anyways, and so I think the way forward is to take the Bible's example. And to bring those complaints to God that my point of my application here I think will be helpful. Use the boundary that the Bible gives you for this that is used the words of scripture to bring your complaints before God. I think that's where you stay safe. If you take the Psalms and you find one that relates to your circumstances and you pray those words back to God. I think you're on safe ground. But make no mistake brothers and sisters. We need to be careful. We need to be careful about our heart posture as we bring our complaints and hurts to God. Because as I said, we've seen the other side of this but I think our inability to do this. is to our detriment and this is part of the process that God brings us through to get to that place of faith and perhaps not bringing our complaints in our hearts To God In Prayer prevents us from getting to that place of faith.

Something to consider this morning use the boundaries of biblical language to keep you on track in regards to this as you bring your complaints and hurts to God use the Bible's words and pray them back to him.

The last aspect of lament is to ask robot says we pray differently when we're hurting and desperate. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about paying as a way of a waking us to Arnie for God's help. It shines a spotlight on our powerlessness to control everything. We are never more aware of our Frailty then when hardship comes our way. This is one of the blessings of suffering if we allow women to lead us the various Trials of Life can become a platform to reaffirm our dependence upon the Lord the request of lament can become the place where we celebrate our need for God's help in this way. I request become more than just expressions of need these petitions our prayers of Faith anchored and what we believe about God and so we see the question the asking the petitioning of God in the very last verse of Psalm 44 Rise up. Come to our health redeemers for the sake of your steadfast love.

What a great way to phrase not petition redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love brothers and sisters. We can pray that prayer with more understanding and more clarity and more evidence than the Israelites. Did we can pray to God to redeem us for the steak of or for the sake of his steadfast love because he's already done that. He's already demonstrated to us his steadfast love to redemption in the life in the death of the resurrection of Christ. He's already demonstrated that by regenerating from our life of dead spirituality. He's already demonstrated that in our justification where he declares us righteous with the very righteousness of Christ.

In spite of the sins. He is already demonstrated To Us by forgiving us and by adopting us into his family and we're in these difficult times of pain and hurt and heartache and grief. And when despair comes knocking on the door of our heart and it's bringing his friend depression with it. We need a means of processing through those things to get to the place of faith and trust. And the way God has given us to do that is through lament and we can look to the Psalms and learn about it. So ask ask God to help you my photo final point of application and I'll finish here. Is that we need to be bold in our asking God to help other people. We need to be able to lament with others when we're not in the difficulty and specifically we need to be able to ask bold prayers for others because they might not be able to see baldness baguettes baldness. If you want to see this watch some of the newsreels about the riots. Just Watch What Happens things are fairly normal I mean they're protesting there yelling and screaming but you can tell with police there that some people are just a little bit too scared But then one person will go and do some crazy. And I'm not a firming. I don't think it's a terrible thing they do but the minute one person does something bold people Pile in and then things get out of troll because baldness begin bulnes when you see other people being Brave and Bold it makes it easier for you to do the same. Let's take a positive example of that. We have brothers and sisters who are being put through the wringer because of whatever trial or tribulation they're going through. They may not have it within themselves in the moment to make bold prayers. And so we need to come alongside them and make bold prayers for them walking with them through their difficulty and asking God to work and Powerful ways in the midst of what they're walking through. We need to do that for a brothers and sisters.

Church family. We need to learn how to do this better. I won't speak for any of you individual. Some of you may have your heart in mind wrapped around this already, but I would say in general we are not good at this. I can say personally. I am not good at this. And we need to see in God's word his means. I'll bring us through those dark and difficult times whether something were going through or one of our brothers and sisters is going through we need to learn from the Psalms how to do that in a Godly biblical way so that we can get beyond the pain and Beyond the heartache to that place of faith and trust in God. Let's pray. Lord we thank you for your words. I pray father God that you would by your spirit do in our congregation including myself a work in regards to this idea of Lament. Lord so much of the Sims 4 into the North American way of doing things. And yet it is clear in your songs. This is a process of Prayer in which you want your people to work. And so would you help us? Would you help us as individuals learn to incorporate this discipline in our lives? And would you help us as a congregation to make lament part of our worship of you and pray this in Christ name? Amen?