YHWH's absence or hostility as two main motifs of suffering and protest in lament psalms A Theo-dramatic approach Acknowledgement Declaration (original) (raw)

This thesis seeks to develop a new method of interpretation for lament psalms and to apply it to Psalms 13, 22, 44, 88. The new method is called Theo-dramatic approach. This method recognizes lament psalms as dialogical prayers, (multivoicing) which describe the drama of suffering experienced by the psalmists. The Theo-dramatic approach is an imaginative method of interpretation. The most important elements are: the script, the theatre and the performance. The actors are: God, the supplicant, the enemy, the community. Script: lament Psalms: 13, 22, 44, and 88, were chosen because they demonstrate much of the vocabulary of the absence or hostility of God. Theatre: the public space provided by the covenant relationship between God and pray-er. Performance: the dramatized grief and pain of the psalmist, caused by the hostility or absence of God. This method of interpretation emphasizes the drama presented in the script: protest, argument, accusation of God for being unfaithful to the covenantal responsibilities. It affirms that God’s behaviour is sometimes different from how people understand his character. But the relationship between God and the sufferer continues despite God’s strange behaviour (absence or hostility), because God is challenged to come onstage and bring deliverance to the supplicant, is invited to walk with him/her and bring onstage the experience of his healing presence. The suffereriii realises that he/she has a choice – he/she could try to stuff the hurt in a closet, pretend it wasn’t there and wish it disappeared, or chose to bring it out into the open to face it head-on, trudge through it, feel its full weight, and do the best to confront the feeling of loss and hopelessness with the truth of God’s Word at every turn. The power of the performance draws the reader onstage to work through their own experiences of God as absent or hostile, hence giving creative expression to difficult life experiences. To groan with sorrow and anger is part of being human, is that when you lose the relationship with God that is so valuable to you, you agonize over this loss, and there is nothing wrong with that. Your tears and cry of anger do not reflect a lack of faith, but a strong faith in the only one who has the healing power, if he just want to present himself on the stage. Applying this method helps the reader to be a participant in the drama played onstage. Human life and the journey of faith imply dramatic events. The relationship with God is a risky and adventurous path.