Psalm 119 pt IV: The earth, O Lord, full of thy mercy

From Psalms

Psalms 119:49-64

^(Zayin)
49Remember the word unto thy servant,
      upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction:
      for thy word hath quickened me.
⁵¹The proud have had me greatly in derision:
      yet have I not declined from thy law.
⁵²I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord;
      and have comforted myself.
⁵³Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked
      that forsake thy law.
⁵⁴Thy statutes have been my songs
      in the house of my pilgrimage.
⁵⁵I have remembered thy name, O Lord,
      in the night, and have kept thy law.
⁵⁶This I had,
      because I kept thy precepts.


^(Heth)
57Thou art my portion, O Lord:
      I have said that I would keep thy words.
⁵⁸I intreated thy favour with my whole heart:
      be merciful unto me according to thy word.
⁵⁹I thought on my ways,
      and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
⁶⁰I made haste, and delayed not
      to keep thy commandments.
⁶¹The bands of the wicked have robbed me:
      but I have not forgotten thy law.
⁶²At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee
      because of thy righteous judgments.
⁶³I am a companion of all them that fear thee,
      and of them that keep thy precepts.
⁶⁴The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy:
      teach me thy statutes.

Of anything, hope, is the thing that makes the greatest changes.  Hope, like faith, allows us to believe in things that we have yet to accomplish.  If love is the water that allows a seed to grow then hope is the sunshine.  Hope is seeing a sobriety birthday cake at a meeting.  Hope is seeing your son learn about the dangers of addiction earlier rather than later.  Hope is the prayers in psalms.  Hope is seeing God's love in a neighbor.

Hope is around us, much in the same way God's mercy fills the earth.  Sometimes its a glimmer.  Sometimes its as overwhelming brilliant as the sunshine.  The trick for me, no matter how brilliant, is when I catch it to let it inspire me to make the most of it.  To reflect to others.  To guide me in sobriety and in the way of truth.  To teach others in God's way.

God, keep your words and your law with me.  For your word give me hope (v. 49).  This hope sustains me.  Be merciful unto me.  For your mercy gives me hope.  This hope gives me strength and inspiration.  Let this inspiration be a light for others to see.  A light that may lead them out of the darkness of addiction.  Just as I was lead out of the darkness.  Give them this hope, and faith, that there is a way out.  Hope that if they take some steps (12?) in the right direction they will find this light.  Hope that in this light they will find a new life, a life free of addiction, free of lies, and full of hope.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.