Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Psalm 9 (KJV) - The Lord will not forget the cry of the humble

From Psalms

Psalm 9
(For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.)
(Psalms 9 and 10 may have been originally a single acrostic poem. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.)



1I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart;
      I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
2I will be glad and rejoice in thee:
      I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

3When mine enemies are turned back,
      they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
4For thou hast maintained my right and my cause;
      thou satest in the throne judging right.
5Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked,
      thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
6O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end:
      and thou hast destroyed cities;
      their memorial is perished with them.

7But the LORD shall endure for ever:
      he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
8And he shall judge the world in righteousness,
      he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
      a refuge in times of trouble.
10And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee:
      for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

11Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion:
      declare among the people his doings.
12When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them:
      he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

13Have mercy upon me, O LORD;
      consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me,
      thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
14That I may shew forth all thy praise
      in the gates of the daughter of Zion:
      I will rejoice in thy salvation.
15The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made:
      in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
16The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth:
      the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.            Higgaion. Selah.
17The wicked shall be turned into hell (Hebrew Sheol),
      and all the nations that forget God.
18For the needy shall not always be forgotten:
      the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

19Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail:
      let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
20Put them in fear, O LORD:
      that the nations may know themselves to be but men.         Selah.

It has been said that humbling ourselves is not thinking less of ourselves.  Rather it is thinking of ourselves, less - and thinking of others more.  I am currently working step 7.  I know I haven't blogged about where I am in the steps much.  However, I'm going to start being more specific about my addiction and my recovery.  I have learned in meetings recently that specifics are an incredibly important part of honesty.  Generally, the more specific a share the more honest it is.

In any case, as part of step 7, I am humbly asking God to remove my defects of character.  If I can borrow from Psalm 9, this is what that looks like today:

I cry out to the Lord that he remove my impatience.  In times when I am impatient help me find calm, kindness, and flexibility.  Have mercy upon me Lord for I am selfish and inconsiderate.  In times when I am selfish and inconsiderate guide me in ways that are cooperative, courteous, supportive, trustworthy, and kind.  Lord I trust in you for you know that I am lustful and impulsive.  Lord I trust in you, that in times when I am lustful and impulsive that you teach me ways to be grow, admit my wrongs, be good tempered, and emotionally stable.  Lastly Lord I procrastinate.  I cry out that when I struggle with my procrastination that you will give me strength and courage to do what is right - the strength to be decisive, the ability to be industrious, conscientious, painstaking and careful, the fortitude to be focused and succint.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

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