Psalm 1234 Arlington Heights Road

Ootle16.net Assignment for Week 2: "Study the formal features of the genre “Complaint Psalm” (often also called a “Lament Psalm”). Then write your own Complaint Psalm."

Formal features of a Lament/Complaint Psalm:
A. Address
B. Complaint
C. Statement of Trust
D. Petition
E. Vow of Thanksgiving
(Note: Not all of these features appear in every Complaint/Lament Psalm, and sometimes they appear in different order.)

By request of the Wednesday night "Welcome to the New Age" group:

Psalm 1234 Arlington Heights Road

To the leader. Of the Charites. A Maskil after Psalm 44.

We have heard with our ears, O God,
     what our mothers and fathers and former pastors told us,
what things were like in their days,
     in the days of old:
How there were not enough churches to hold
     all the people who wanted to join them,
The fund-raising and the planning,
     the building and the dedications,
the worship services and the Sunday schools,
     full and overflowing,
the Men's Bible Studies and the Women's Circles,
     the Vacation Church Schools and the Luther Leagues,
the Christmas Pageants and the Easter Egg Hunts,
     men and women, children and teens in their hundreds.
And we were the light of Your countenance,
     and You delighted in us.

Those were the days,
     When no one ever had to explain why they belonged to a church.
No one asked us why on earth we were Christians,
     Or challenged our mindlessness,
Or dismissed our Scriptures as blood-soaked savagery,
     Or criticized our Creed,
Or demanded proof of our God,
     Or just assumed that we must be hypocritical bigots.

So now we are like deer in the headlights:
     We can't believe people dislike us,
Or pity us,
     Or ignore us,
Or simply prefer Netflix.
     They think our worship isn't worth their time.
They know our service doesn't change their systems.
     They feel our teaching will not touch their hearts.

So, what next?
     What shall we do now,
O Lord our God,
     here in the 21st century?

You never used to be shy about telling people what to do,
     You thundered and whispered and sang to all those people in the Bible.
You not only spoke to Abraham, You sat down and had a meal with him;
     You wrestled with Jacob,
You schooled Moses.
     When You couldn't come Yourself, you sent Your messenger.
And that was at a time when methods of communication were limited,
     Now it's so much easier!

So what about us?
     Don't we rate at all?
If we're doing it wrong, You could just tell us. We're not deaf.
     And it's not like we've gone anywhere.
We're still here at 1234 Arlington Heights Road,
     Still worshipping, still serving, still teaching,
It's not like we moved and left no forwarding address.
     Plus You know our home addresses,
You're the Lord of the Universe,
     So we assume You have our email addresses, our cell phone numbers, and our Twitter handles.
Drop us a line. Send us a text. Message us. Give a Tweet.
     Too busy? Got a sore throat? Tendonitis? No phone service? Mulling over your options?
While You're diddling around, we're dying here.
     Rise up, O Lord! Make haste to help us!
Get a move on! Send us that Spirit! Give us our next move!
     I'm sure you've noticed we're not getting any younger.

As long as we are here,
     We will praise You and give You thanks,
But worship attendance is dropping,
     Giving is falling off.
Volunteers are thin on the ground,
     We are all so weary!
So we ask:
     When we are gone,
Who will cause Your name to be celebrated
     in all the generations?

We are Your people:
     Your people of 1234 Arlington Heights Road.
Will You let us die out?
     Will You not save us?