Psalm 147 (KJV): The Lord doth...bindeth up their wounds

Psalm 147

¹Praise ye the LORD:

for it is good to sing praises unto our God;
      for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

²The LORD doth build up Jerusalem:
      he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
³He healeth the broken in heart,
      and bindeth up their wounds.
⁴He telleth the number of the stars;
      he calleth them all by their names.
⁵Great is our Lord, and of great power:
      his understanding is infinite.
⁶The LORD lifteth up the meek:
      he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

⁷Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving;
      sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
⁸Who covereth the heaven with clouds,
      who prepareth rain for the earth,
      who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
⁹He giveth to the beast his food,
      and to the young ravens which cry.
¹⁰He delighteth not in the strength of the horse:
      he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
¹¹The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him,
      in those that hope in his mercy.

¹²Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem;
      praise thy God, O Zion.
¹³For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates;
      he hath blessed thy children within thee.
¹⁴He maketh peace in thy borders,
      and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
¹⁵He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth:
      his word runneth very swiftly.
¹⁶He giveth snow like wool:
      he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
¹⁷He casteth forth his ice like morsels:
      who can stand before his cold?
¹⁸He sendeth out his word, and melteth them:
      he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
¹⁹He sheweth his word unto Jacob,
      his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
²⁰He hath not dealt so with any nation:
      and as for his judgments, they have not known them.

Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 147 is the second of the five "Hallelu Yah" psalms, 146-150.  It's rather fitting to end the book of Psalms, and my journey, with the Psalms that "praise the Lord" (the literal meaning of Hallelu Yah).  The theme of this Hallelu Yah psalm is rebuilding of Isreal after the destruction from the Babylonians.  And like the Isrealites in Psalm 147, addicts have rebuilding to do.

Recovery from addiction is about healing, mending broken hearts and wounds - and of course rebuilding.  Rebuilding our lives and the lives of those around us, whose lives we impacted in our addiction.  For, as JK Rowling has said of her story, "Rock bottom is a great foundation to build success."  And so it is we call on our great and powerful God to start the process of rebuilding.

God, be with us today in our process of healing and rebuilding.  Some us are just starting and others are continuing.  Whatever the case, the path to recovery seems long - and often too difficult to be achievable.  Remind us that, just as Israel took a group of people over several years to rebuild, so too will our lives.  Remind us that it took several years for our addictions to break things apart - and that it will take several years to put it back together.  Be with us and give us the strength and support our process of rebuilding.  We do it to heal and mend our wounds.  We do it to rebuild our relationships.  Your greatness, God, makes for a great recovery.  I have seen Your love being rebuilt in my life, I pray that this is something I can share that others may see this love in their lives, too.  In Your name I pray - Hallelu Yah - Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.