Prayers based on Lamentations

Lamentations 1

Great God, we are in great need. We cry out to You. Send forth Your Comforter, the powerful Spirit of Holiness. We suffer bitterly in this great battle. We have faced horrible defeat in warfare all around us. We have spirits, but we also have bodies. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. What has happened to our homes and our place of worship? Where are our children? How have we come to this state? Father we live in a place that has faced Your judgment. You are in the right. Yet, look upon us in our suffering. Our young men and women are gone. Many have died. Others are far from Your sanctuary. We do not pretend to be strong. Our groans are many. Our hearts are faint. Send forth Your Comforter, and rescue us.

Lamentations 2

Glorious Father, have You utterly forgotten us? In Your just wrath, You send Your devastating judgments. What must the cross have been like for Your Son? You came upon Him with the fullness of punishment. He was the spotless sanctuary of Your presence. He had no sin. Yet He took all our filth and rebellion upon Himself on that awful day of atoning death. Your wrath came upon Him for us. Lord, we are in horrible trouble now. We are in need of basic things that we might be able to stay alive here and now. Feed us from heaven. Our false prophets are removed from our midst, but our enemies are still all around us. They think that they have complete victory over us. What can we say to You? Our cries are too deep for words. We are in distress. We have had such trouble as we had never understood or imagined. There is terror on every side.

Lamentations 3

Sovereign Lord, we have faced great tribulation. We cry for help. Do You not hear us? Where is Your help? O God, we hate our sin. Father, we feel no hope in our hearts. Yet we remember Your steadfast covenant love, Your mercy, Your great faithfulness. We should wait patiently for You when it seems that we have no future. Help us to take this affliction now. This will not last forever. You are not vicious, O God. You must have a purpose in this day of testing. Help us to turn now from all sin. Grant us a very large repentance. Surely there is something good that will come from all these tears. There must be some good in this horrible loss. Do not close Your ear to our cries for help. Through Christ, You have surely redeemed our lives from complete destruction.

Lamentations 4

Lord God, what has happened to Your church? We were precious stones in Your holy temple. Where are our children? Where have our companions gone? Where are those who once professed faith in You? How is it that they have gone out from us? Were they never part of us? Have mercy on us, O God. Your people are deeply bruised by an enemy that we cannot see. Brutal men and angels must be all around us. How could we have become a people that seem to be cursed by You. We look for help from far off. Where is our help, O Lord? The enemy seeks the ones He may devour. Yet His day of punishment will surely come. Help us, O Lord.

Lamentations 5

Father, we face the truth of our affliction with brutal honesty. Food, shelter, safety, life… these things we need. Celebration is only a bitter memory. Yet You are still the Lord. You will reign forever. Restore us, O God. Our confidence is in Your Son, for He was utterly condemned for our transgressions, and rose again for our justification.