Experiencing presence and absence Jeremiah's name is forever associated with laments and complaints. In the Hebrew-Jewish tradition, however, he does not stand alone. Approximately one-half of the book of Psalms, titled "Praises" in the Hebrew Bible, contain laments! They are cries for justice and deliverance to a seemingly absent God from people who, like Jeremiah, are enduring great pain. These laments create a dissonance with a major theme in the Old Testament, that of Immanuel, the God who is with us and for us--the God who cares (e.g., Exod 3:12; Josh 1:5; Isa 7:14 and 41:10). The psalmists rejoice and give thanks to this Divine Partner whose mighty acts of righteousness and mercy have meant life to Israel. It is on such a God that Jeremiah pins his hopes (Jer 1:8) when he is called to prophesy. God promised to deliver him from his opponents, and these words were a "joy and the delight" to him (Jer 15:16; cf. Ezek 3:3).
