Abstract:
Quarantine, loneliness and psalms: In times of a pandemic, quarantine and physical distance
are acts of charity. Leviticus 13–14 show that even in biblical times such measures served to
protect the community. But they also lead to the danger of loneliness or even depression.
Physical distance must not become social distance. For believers, the Psalms can be a way of
bringing the distress before the punishing and healing God. They are a proven way out of the
lament to rejoice in the relationship with God. But this change of mood is not an automatism,
but a prayer process in the hope of God.
CONTRIBUTION: A theological perspective on Covid-19 is given by bringing the current
experiences of quarantine and loneliness in times of pandemic into dialogue with biblical texts.
