Songs for Suffering: Praying the Psalms in Times of Trouble

It is not uncommon to hear of people who have lost their faith as a result of suffering. At some point in our lives, we all walk through some measure of suffering-perhaps you’re walking through a painful time right now. You may be wondering “Where is God in all of this?” or “Why does he feel so far away?” Or maybe there are no words at all.

With sensitivity and compassion, Simon Stocks’ Songs for Suffering leads readers through the Psalms in times of difficulty and despair. The Psalms are the ideal resource to keep someone in contact with God through such times of difficulty. They take pain and trouble seriously, and afford dignity to the sufferer by expressing what we feel in these times. The Psalms even allow negative responses toward God to be voiced in a safe context and take seriously God’s capacity for redemption. In the Psalms, evil and its agents are real, and this allows a measured and God-centered response to those who cause suffering.

By following this model and pattern of prayer-which has been the bedrock of Christian prayer for over two thousand years—you will be able to pray during all seasons of suffering and address difficult issues of faith such as despair, failure, tragedy, and fear.