Publication Date
Spring 4-28-2024
School
School of Business; School of Music
Major
Business Administration; Music: Worship Studies
Keywords
Lament, Worship, Emotion, Suffering, Music, Psalms, Christianity, Church
Disciplines
Other Music
Recommended Citation
Hofheins, Kaden, "Singing Sad Songs to the Savior: An Examination of and Argument for Biblical Lament Songs" (2024). Senior Honors Theses. 1398.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1398
Abstract
Christian lament songs play an important role in the context of the local church. There are several key differences between Christian lament and secular “sad songs” that are due to Christianity’s perspective of suffering that revolves around the hope of Jesus Christ. Christian songwriters have been writing lament songs through the lens of biblical hope in Christ throughout church history. Due to the nature of lament songs and how they give voice to negative emotions, which can help people to process their grief, and the communal nature of corporate worship, it is important that local churches ensure they use lament songs as often as needed to meet the needs of their congregations.
