You can get there from here

As I've studied lament in Scripture, I've come to realize it is the hallway to praise. You see, praise is a kind of remembrance. Praise is built upon a foundation of God's good work in our lives and in the world, and thus requires us to remember these works as we honor God.

Photo by Serge Esteve on Unsplash

Thus, hidden within almost every one of the Psalms of praise is a word, phrase, or verse that harks back to a time of suffering, complaint, or protest. In other words, the praise would not exist without the lament.

I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him
as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2

In this familiar Psalm we can hear undertone of suffering, and imagine the back story that enabled the psalmist to write such passionate words. We love to sing and recite these words, feeling their power, feeling the joy rise in our chest. But could we also pause to remember the struggle that preceded the song? This psalm, entitled "Thanksgiving for recovery from illness," documents the complaint that lead to the thanksgiving,

I kept my faith, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted";
I said in my consternation,
"Everyone is a liar."
Psalms 116:10-11 (NRSV)

God longs to hear our authentic cries from the depths of our struggle. "He knows how [we] speak when [we] are desperate," writes Derek Kidner in his commentary on the Psalms. Lament is the hallway to praise. You can get there from here.

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