Psalms of Lament - Hope, Not Despair

What do you think of when you hear the word "lament"?  To lament is to mourn  aloud, but this psalm does more than just record mourning. These psalms do give vent to sorrowful emotions and describe painful and even tragic circumstances, but they always direct attention to God and His faitjfulness. And though the term "psalms of lament" may sound depressiong, the consistent thread of faith transforms such passages into deep wells of encouragement.