Singing in the Dark: Lamentations 3:1-33

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Real faith is able to face and acknowledge the darkest realities of life and still trust God. Real faith is not burying your head in the sand and turning a blind eye to difficulties, pretending everything is ok and everything is easy. Real faith is often a battle - a struggle to hold on to what we know about God when the whole world seems to be falling apart around us. A number of Psalms and other Scriptures articulate this struggle in a whole range of challenging circumstances.
This is a paraphrase I wrote based on Lamentations 3:1-33, where Jeremiah gave full and vivid expression to his great sorrows and sufferings before his faith breaks through to assert an ongoing wholehearted confidence in God. In normal times, it would be unusual to sing a song like this in church! But we are not in normal times and it might help you to voice The cry of your heart to God. It was printed several months ago in the Free Church of Scotland magazine, ‘The Record’1 and can be sung to the tune  Spiritus Vitae which is well known as the tune to “O Breath of Life”.

1. It is the rod of God which strikes me
Afflicting me the whole day long.
His anger drives me into darkness
And from His judgments who can flee?

2. Besieged by bitter tribulations,
He wastes my flesh and breaks my bones.
Is this life or death’s desolation – 
My soul a tomb where no light shines?

3. God’s heavy chains of justice I wear,
He walls me in, He blocks my path
And when I cry to Him for mercy,
In anger he shuts out my prayer.
  
4. God makes my soul His prey; He hunts me.
His arrows hit their mark: my heart.
He poured this bitter cup of torment.
He steals my peace, gives misery.

5. Hope still in God, His kindness recall:
Daily renewed His mercies are,
Unchanging faithfulness, and sure love.
“He is my portion” says my soul.

6. Wait for the Lord; seek His salvation.
Quietly bear your Father’s will.
Soon He will lift this painful burden
And show you His abundant love.

 ©️Ben Fiddian 2020.
1 January 2020 https://freechurch.org/resources/magazines

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