“Everybody Hurts”

What’s a song or type of music that helps you process hard emotions?

Without naming names, what’s a moment when something online made you feel really angry — and why do you think it stirred you up?

Study

Read Psalm 137:1–2. How does the imagery of sitting and weeping by the rivers of Babylon speak to seasons of grief in your life?

Why do you think the psalmist says they “hung up their harps” in verse 2? What does that represent?

What do verses 3–4 reveal about the emotional tension between outward expectations and inward suffering?

What is the danger of ignoring or suppressing the kinds of emotions found in this psalm?

What does this Psalm teach us about God’s willingness to hear our raw, unfiltered prayers?

What’s Next

Have you ever experienced a moment where grief and rage were intertwined? What helped you walk through it?

How do you typically respond to pain: suppress, explode, isolate, or something else?

Can you recall a time when someone tried to “fix” your pain with a platitude (like “just stay positive”)? How did that make you feel?

Romans 12:19 reminds us not to seek revenge. What does it look like to give our anger to God instead?

What honest prayer do you need to pray but have been afraid to voice?