@article{ART003251603},
author={A YUN KIM},
title={The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2025},
volume={31},
number={4},
pages={54-88}
TY - JOUR
AU - A YUN KIM
TI - The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2025
VL - 31
IS - 4
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 54
EP - 88
SN - 1229-0521
AB - This study explores the theological and pastoral significance of Psalm 88, often considered the darkest psalm in the Hebrew Psalter. Unlike most individual laments that move from complaint to praise, Psalm 88 concludes without resolution or divine response, presenting a unique case of sustained anguish and divine silence. This paper investigates the literary structure and theological features of Psalm 88, examining its poetic elements, rhetorical flow, and theological implications.
Drawing on recent exegetical and theological scholarship, this study highlights its role as a vital witness to the full range of human experience before God- including despair, abandonment, and protest. Psalm 88 exemplifies a God-lament – a raw, honest protest that remains rooted in relationship despite the divine silence. The psalm’s persistent cry in the absence of divine reply reveals a paradoxical expression of ‘unanswered faith,’ one that dares to confront God honestly yet endures even when divine intervention seems absent.
The study further reflects on the pastoral relevance of Psalm 88 in the context of the Korean church, where the tradition of lament has largely disappeared from public worship. It argues that reclaiming the language of lament can help faith communities engage more authentically with experiences of suffering and divine silence. The paper proposes practical applications at three levels: personal (spiritual practices of lament), communal (incorporating lament in worship and pastoral care), and social (prophetic lament addressing collective suffering and trauma). Through an exegetical and theological reading of Psalm 88, this study offers a framework for reclaiming lament as a meaningful and necessary expression of biblical faith in the Korean church context.
KW - prayer;lament;suffering;the absence of God;Psalm 88
DO -
UR -
ER -
A YUN KIM. (2025). The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(4), 54-88.
A YUN KIM. 2025, "The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.31, no.4 pp.54-88.
A YUN KIM "The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31.4 pp.54-88 (2025) : 54.
A YUN KIM. The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications. 2025; 31(4), 54-88.
A YUN KIM. "The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.4 (2025) : 54-88.
A YUN KIM. The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(4), 54-88.
A YUN KIM. The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2025; 31(4) 54-88.
A YUN KIM. The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications. 2025; 31(4), 54-88.
A YUN KIM. "The Unanswered Prayer of Lament: An Exegetical Study of Psalm 88 and Its Practical Implications" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.4 (2025) : 54-88.
