What Is the Bible's Definition of Lament?

Have you ever been in a situation where all you could do was wail and cry out to God through tears because you had no words? Was it because of something you had done or had been done to you? Were you lamenting? The biblical definition of lament is more than just a passing feeling of sadness, as it is sometimes used today. Too often, words become so overused that we lose their real meaning. Phrases like "I'm sorry" roll off our tongues so often as a social habit that we say it without truly feeling regret. The world of social media and television is so shallow that dramatics have become entertainment, but the books and movies that truly move us come from a sincere and true depth of emotion. This is the realm of lament.

How Does the Bible Define the Word Lament?

Crosswalk.com contributor Lori Stanley Roeleveld explains that the biblical definition of lament is to demonstrate sorrow or regret outwardly. The Hebrew words translated as lament or lamentation are varied, including quwn, caphad, and awbal. They all are defined as "to cry out, wail, chant a dirge, or lament." Most of them carry the idea of a visual sign through the beating of breasts and wailing in public. It can be related to mourning the death of a loved one or regret for disobedience. Check out this concordance article for a more detailed look at the Hebrew and Greek words translated as lament or lamenting.

When we are grieving, whether it is the loss of a loved one or distress over circumstances, emotions run high. Lamenting is a way of dealing with those feelings by communicating with God. Wailing can lead to healing, just like tears can be a source of relief. It is not just a show we put on; it is an honest and raw expression of our anger, doubts, and fears. Sometimes, it is an expression of our shame and sorrow for disobedience. Either way, it allows us to open communication with God so we can receive comfort or forgiveness.

Does the Bible Define When We Should Lament?

According to the biblical meaning of lament, it is a way to demonstrate sorrow or regret. When we are hurting because of sorrow, God the Father wants us to come to Him for comfort. One example of this in the Bible is King David lamenting the death of his son Absalom in 2 Samuel 18:33. Another is Mary and Martha confronting Jesus when their brother Lazarus died in Joh 11:31-37. Even in their outpouring of grief, they still had hope.

Another reason to lament is regret. Jeremiah laments the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity of the children of Israel in Jeremiah 9 and the book of Lamentations. However, he is also lamenting their sin that led to their punishment. God had called them back to Himself again and again, but they refused to listen, so he allowed them to be taken captive and the city to be destroyed.

In the New Testament, we are told to lament when we step away from God and into sin. James 4:9-10 tells us to "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." We should take our sins seriously and not just shrug them off with the attitude that God will let us slide. We need to be truly sorry for our sins and not just sorry we got caught. True repentance requires lamenting and humility before God.

Does the Bible Say When We Should Stop Lamenting?

Biblical lamenting is not meant to last forever. It is a process to help us deal with sin and sorrow so we can have a closer relationship with God. Nehemiah 8:9 says, "And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law." There is a time and a place for lamenting, but once it is done, we can move forward in praise and hope.

Even in the book of Lamentations, where Jeremiah is weeping over Jerusalem's destruction and the people's captivity, he is not hopeless. In Lamentations 3, he goes from listing all of the pain and misery he is suffering to a message of hope by recalling the goodness of God: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him" (Lamentations 3:22-24).

Nehemiah 8:9 sees the fruition of Jeremiah's hope as the children of Israel have returned from captivity to rebuild Jerusalem. The time for lamenting was over because the walls had been rebuilt. It was a time to celebrate the Lord's goodness through the feasts laid out in the law. Psalm 30:5 tells us, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."

How Can We Encourage People Who Are Lamenting?

Because we live in a fallen world, biblical lamenting will be a recurring part of the life of a Christian until Christ returns. So, how should Christians respond to people who are lamenting? Paul gives us a really simple answer to that question in Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." The church is called to unity, and one way of keeping the unity is being aware of and respectful of those who are mourning and allowing them to work through their grief. The best thing we can do is be a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. We shouldn't expect people to force on a smile when their heart is broken, but we can encourage them to remember God's goodness and our hope in Him.

Too often, we try to urge people to push through grief and move on, but there is something to be said for lamenting the loss and being open before God. Healing comes when we allow the Great Physician to see our wounds. The same is true of our spiritual hurts. When we truly lament our sins and lay them before God, we can receive forgiveness and restoration of our spirits. As long as we try to pretend they don't exist, our sins will block our connection with God the Father. Like any relationship, we must be honest and humble before God and each other to maintain the bonds of unity and trust. Showing repentance through lamenting is a good way to keep a good relationship with God and our Christian brothers and sisters. Once the lamenting is done, we can rejoice and praise God for the hope we have in Him and celebrate the glory of the Lord. If you are going through a time of lamenting and mourning, remember that weeping will not endure forever, and joy will come in the morning.

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Linda Lyle is a writer, teacher, knitter, and unintentional collector of cats. She has written articles for the Alabama Baptist, Open Windows, Refresh, as well as multiple novels and novellas. Her newest book, 5-Minute Prayer Plan for When Life Is Overwhelming, is set to release in October. She spins yarns on her blog The End of My Yarn at lindalyle.com.