Yesterday’s sermon at the church I recently started to attend was about lament and several verses from different psalms were read. One thing that the pastor said that struck me was something she had recently read about hope and lament — our hope can only go as high as our lamentations go deep. She went on to say that we must name our fear, anger, and despair at times like these or they can overwhelm us in negative ways.

There are so many things that require deep lament in our nation and world today. A malfeasant administration has hijacked our nation’s government in order to appease the hyper-wealthy and Christian nationalist extremists who loathe democracy. They are actively destroying government agencies in ways that are clearly illegal and unconstitutional, and in ways that are already causing harm to vulnerable people here in the U.S. and internationally. The unholy alliance of technofascists and Christian extremists is destabilizing the planet and that is enough to cause anyone who is paying attention a great deal of anxiety and despair. At a time such as this, lamentation is both appropriate and necessary, so my lament follows.

How long oh God must we bear this calamity? How long will you watch as those who intend evil continue to oppress the vulnerable? The powerful seek to crush all opposition to their perfidious plans. They make scapegoats out of your children who are not white, straight, and American. In their iniquity, the wicked malign the poor with their words and then steal what little the poor have. The powerful live in luxurious ease and plenty, while the poor fight to survive as the powerful feign being pro-life.

You tell me to be angry and sin not, yet anger is building behind the dam in my chest. Hotter than flowing lava, this anger longs to erupt from my being to subsume the wicked and burn their movement to ash. May my anger never consume me and if it comes, let it be righteous so that I sin not. Give me strength, oh God, for I am weary from the struggle and I fear for myself, those whom I love, and all of those who I am called to love. Fear feeds the anger. Relieve me of his burden.

Holy God, thwart the plans of those who have evil intentions. Your wisdom is foolishness to those who perpetuate white supremacy. Your wisdom is foolishness to the complementarians, the homophobic and transphobic bigots, the nationalists, and the hoarders of wealth. The camel’s legs quiver, let not the final straw break it’s back. Rather, lighten the burden, protect the weak from the strong, and democracy from the fascists who use your name in vain. Make the scales fall from the eyes of the wicked so they may see the light and learn to love their neighbors as they once loved power, wealth, and oppression.

So many souls cry for justice. Let not their cries be in vain.