The scriptures are full of lament, from Job to the prophets to the psalms. Jesus himself cries out a portion of a lament psalm (Psalm 22) from the cross. Lament can be a way to process grief, betrayal, our failures and sins, and the confusion and injustice of the world in the presence of God—rather than in Facebook comments!

You don’t need to consider yourself a writer or a poet or a particularly creative person to write a lament. It’s not a work of art; it’s a prayer, and it’s meant to be rough and unpolished. You just need time, a bit of breathing room, a pencil, and a decision to enter into discomfort for a time (and just for a time; the lament structure also provides a way out of the discomfort and toward God’s hope).

Below are the instructions that you can follow in writing laments. We hope you will try it this week.In a lament, people pour out their complaints to God in an effort to persuade him to act on their behalf, all the while stating their trust in him. We suggest reading Psalm 44 to see an example of a lament psalm before you start writing your own.

The following template of how to write your own lament is from a book on grief by Harriet & Margaret Hill:

Not all parts are present in each lament, and they are not always in the same order. Laments allow a person to fully express their grief, and even accuse God, but this is quickly followed by a statement of trust in God. This combination makes for very powerful prayers.

3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 36, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89, 120, 139, 141, 142.

12, 44, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 89, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129.