Lament in Three Movements: The Implications of Psalm 13 for Justice and Reconciliation

Abstract

Christian peacemakers and ministers of reconciliation serving in contexts of conflict require practices to help them cope with painful situations and formulate constructive responses to them. Lament is one indispensible practice for ministers and their communities, simultaneously directing their pain to God and expanding their theological and social imagination for difficult tasks. The Scriptures provide ample resources for embracing the gift of lament. Here I argue that Psalm 13 offers a model of lament in three movements for ministers of reconciliation. I begin by briefly delineating the nature of lament in Scripture. Next, I analyze Psalm 13 as a representative lament, with special reference to its implications for Christians engaged in the work of reconciliation in challenging contexts. Finally, I conclude with a case study of activist Angelina Atyam in order to illustrate how the movements of Psalm 13 can be expressed in renewed theological imagination and social ministry.