ABSTRACT
Lament psalms were not only written for individuals but also for the community as a whole. Psalm 90, while in some ways not typical of the community laments, is instructive in its understanding of prayer. The style of prayer in Psalm 13 incorporates an open questioning of one conversation partner by the other and a demand for a response. Psalm 113 begins and ends with the invocation hallelujah, 'Praise the Lord!' The prayer of praise in Psalm 113 goes beyond political and religious statements. Psalm 113 is the first in a group of psalms that has played an important role in Jewish liturgy. The prayer of the psalmist is thus not limited by personal experience and circumstance. He/she asserts the possibility of trusting against the grain of experience. The Psalm 107 concludes with a statement that God is the one who controls creation.
