“Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy…” (Psalm 86:1)
The most striking dynamic of psalms theology is the embrace of raw experience as being at the center of the life of prayer. This goes against the grain of contemporary prayer culture, in my experience. I must admit that when I have the privilege of hearing the prayer of a brother or sister in Jesus, it rarely echoes the vox of the psalter (the obvious exception to this is times of worship where there praises sung by the assembly do, in fact, sound quite bit like the psalter). It’s a different story, however, when it comes to private prayer life.
In his book, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit, Walter Brueggemann writes this,
Thus I suggest that most of the Psalms can only be appropriately prayed by people who are living at the edge of their lives, sensitive to the raw hurts, the primitive passions, and the naïve elations that are at the bottom of our life. For most of us, liturgical or devotional entry into the Psalms requires a real change of pace. It asks us to depart from the closely managed world of public survival, to move into the open, frightening, healing world of speech with the Holy One.
What a challenge Brueggemann sets before us. In actuality, the challenge comes from the psalter. The “most of the Psalms” that Brueggemann is referring to, as inspired scripture, invites us to share not only their words, but their rawness of heart. This Psalms invite has, as the people of faith, to bear ourselves, our wounds, our deepest hurts and desire before YHWH, Who is the Holy One. It’s critical to remember that we don’t bear these things before the Holy One simply for the sake of bearing them. No, we bear them before Him for the sake of His healing.
Healing and redemption always comes through suffering—this is one of the central dimensions of biblical soteriology (understanding of salvation). That salvation always comes through pain. If this were not the case, the Cross is unnecessary. So often we’re ready, poised to bear our cross for the deliverance of another. The question to ask, however, is are you ready to bear the pain of your deepest self before the Holy One for the sake of healing? Perhaps we have the faith, but lack the courage. He who brings healing also offers courage and strength.
Suggested Reading: The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen Job and the Mystery of Suffering by Richard Rohr