The ancient Near East (=ANE) lament prayers and Hebrew lamentation psalms have common structural elements. A comparative study of these elements illuminates the missiological implication of the lament psalms. The complaints in the laments show that humanity lives in a common lamentable situation. Affirmation of trust in God is unique to the Hebrew religion and is not found in ANE literature. The vow to praise God contains individual and communal dimensions and even extends to an international level. Psalm 22 is a typical lament psalm, with the suffering psalmist moving from crying to calling on all nations to worship. Christ, the antetype of the petitioner in Psalm 22, is God`s solution to human laments. Matthew 4:12-25 portrays Christ as the one who saves humans from their lamentable situation. The calling of the disciples and the success of Christ`s mission gives the Church a duty to work for those in trouble until Christ comes again to wipe every tear from their eyes.
