“When our world is rent by Violence and our lives are marred by grief, when our songs of calm assurance turn to cries of unbelief: God, we raise our lamentation seeking refuge and relief. “
This first verse makes me think of Nashville and the active shooter at the Christian school. That community is crying out in grief and anger similar to what my city did after Mr Darrell Brooks Jr drove in our parade.
“When our cities stand forsaken and the poor must beg for bread, when the pris’ner sits forgotten and the homeless find no bed, God, we raise our lamentation: waken justice from the dead!”
The third verse looks at the struggles of the individual rather than groups or communities like in the previous verses. “When our lives are burnt to ashes and our hopes fade like a dream, when our stories lose their meaning and despair becomes their theme, God, we raise our lamentation: Come, Lord Jesus, to redeem!”
I can relate to some of this verse. I remember being unable to feel happy or hope. The sky would be blue on a sunny warm day and I couldn’t enjoy it.
The last verse feels like a prayer to me. “Raise up beauty from the ashes; end our violence; tend our peace, Give us visions of a future where all captives find release, where oppression is evicted, and all works of hatred cease.”
This hymn is in All Creation Sings (ELCA hymnal) as hymn number 1052. The lyrics were written by David Bjorlin.
