Naked Prayer: Praying the Psalms (part 4 of 5)

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(Aug 30 – Kim Pierrot)
Pray our Despair
Today, we consider what it means to “Pray our Despair” by reflecting on Psalm 88. One blogger describes the psalm this way:

“Psalm 88 is that member of the family nobody knows what to do with. He’s at all the family reunions, and his name comes up in all the jovial stories, but nobody wants to get caught alone with him in the living room. He’s awkward… irrational… strange. So he sits there and everyone goes outside and explains why he’s so strange and how he fits into the whole family dynamic. But nobody takes the time to really listen to the strangeness and let him explain himself, and maybe change how everyone else views the family.” (www.rustyparts.com)

By listening to the “strangeness” of this psalm, and by hearing from those in our midst who have spent time praying it, we will be better equipped to approach God when life doesn’t make sense or seem destined for the “happy ending”.

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