Everything Is In the Subtitle

Some of the Psalms have subtitles. It gives you a sense of the context for the prayer you are about to read. Here is one of the clearest subtitles -

Psalm 102

A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

Hear my prayer, Lord;
    let my cry for help come to you. 

Do not hide your face from me
    when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
    when I call, answer me quickly.

Just reading that little intro to the prayer, how does it orient you to what follows? Did you find yourself resonating with the subtitle and looking forward to the prayer - or did it make you feel a bit wary of the prayer to follow? These things are worth pondering - they may tell you a bit about what is going on in your own soul right now. In particular, they may help you identify with you particularly relationship with lamenting.

Consider taking a moment to read over the below insight by a therapist about praying a lament. Then go back and see if you can pray through the scripture above for yourself - nice and slowly, paying close attention to your own heart and mind.

It is crucial to comprehend a lament is as far from complaining or grumbling as a search is from aimless wandering. A grumbler has already reached a conclusion, shut down all desire and postures with questions that are barely concealed accusations. . . . A lament involves even deeper emotion because a lament is truly asking, seeking, and knocking to comprehend the heart of God. A lament involves the energy to search, not to shut down the quest for truth. It is passion to ask, rather than to rant and rave with already reached conclusions. A lament uses the language of pain, anger, and confusion and moves toward God. - Dan Allendar