psalms is a bonus and not a guarantee. The withholding of relief is not proof of God’s displeasure or defeat. The second lesson is that our pain and suffering are not the final word in our lives. They are reminders to us that we wait for the redemption of our bodies on the last day. The third lesson is that this author, like Job, does not give up. The darkness will not lift, but the author still prays.6 The psalm shows that believers can be overcome by darkness for long periods of time. They can attend