Just two days before Christmas, Advent invites us into a surprising theme: lament.
In Psalm 80, Asaph — David’s worship leader — teaches us how to pray when God’s promises don’t seem to line up with reality. Rather than suppressing pain or forcing cheer, lament gives us language for suffering that is honest, faithful, and hope-filled.
In this teaching, we explore:
- What biblical lament really is (and what it isn’t)
- The four movements of lament: facing God, complaining, asking, and trusting
- How Psalm 80 unexpectedly points forward to the incarnation of Jesus
- Why lament still belongs in the life of the church — especially at Christmas
As we live between the first coming of Christ and his promised return, lament helps us hold gratitude and longing together. Christmas tells us that God has stepped into the darkness — but we still cry out, “How long, Lord?”
