Psalm 119 IX: Rivers of waters run down my eyes, because they keep not thy law

From Psalms

Psalm 119:129-144
                        Pe
¹²⁹Thy testimonies are wonderful:
      therefore doth my soul keep them.
¹³⁰The entrance of thy words giveth light;
      it giveth understanding unto the simple.
¹³¹I opened my mouth, and panted:
      for I longed for thy commandments.
¹³²Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
¹³³Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
¹³⁴Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.
¹³⁵Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
¹³⁶Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

                   Tsadhe
¹³⁷Righteous art thou, O Lord,
      and upright are thy judgments.
¹³⁸Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded
      are righteous and very faithful.
¹³⁹My zeal hath consumed me,
      because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
¹⁴⁰Thy word is very pure:
      therefore thy servant loveth it.
¹⁴¹I am small and despised:
      yet do not I forget thy precepts.
¹⁴²Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
      and thy law is the truth.
¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:
      yet thy commandments are my delights.
¹⁴⁴The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting:
      give me understanding, and I shall live.

Wow, it feels so good to be making entries in this blog, again...and making a connection with God.  Gods word lifts the weight of worry and addiction from my shoulders.  His word puts life into perspective.  When work and life's other pursuits consume me His testimonies and commandments bring me back.

I have to be honest.  In my absence from my posts, from time to time, I have fallen off the wagon and back into my addictions.  We addicts, no matter how long our sobriety, are never immune.  However, I can say that in sobriety you do gain awareness.  In that awareness you realize when you drift from your support, drift from your tools, and drift away from God.  And in coming back to my blog posts I am coming back to my tool of prayer, but more importantly returning to the grace and healing of God.

In this hour of recovery do you know where your support is?  God bless.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 119 pt VIII: It is time, Lord, to work

From Psalms

Psalm 119:113-128
Samekh
¹¹³I hate vain thoughts:
      but thy law do I love.
¹¹⁴Thou art my hiding place and my shield:
      I hope in thy word.
¹¹⁵Depart from me, ye evildoers:
      for I will keep the commandments of my God.
¹¹⁶Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live:
      and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
¹¹⁷Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe:
      and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
¹¹⁸Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes:
      for their deceit is falsehood.
¹¹⁹Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross:
      therefore I love thy testimonies.
¹²⁰My flesh trembleth for fear of thee;
      and I am afraid of thy judgments.

Ayin
¹²¹I have done judgment and justice:
      leave me not to mine oppressors.
¹²²Be surety for thy servant for good:
      let not the proud oppress me.
¹²³Mine eyes fail for thy salvation,
      and for the word of thy righteousness.
¹²⁴Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy,
      and teach me thy statutes.
¹²⁵I am thy servant; give me understanding,
      that I may know thy testimonies.
¹²⁶It is time for thee, Lord, to work:
      for they have made void thy law.
¹²⁷Therefore I love thy commandments above gold;
      yea, above fine gold.
¹²⁸Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right;
      and I hate every false way.

I have been away from the psalms - and in some ways away from my recovery.  However, tonight it is time, Lord, to work.  To return to my recovery.

As the psalmist writes in  Samekh, "Thou art my hiding place and my shield."  I am free from my addictions when I am in prayer and in God's word.  "I hope in thy word," for there is healing in God's word and tonight it is soothing.

"Hold thou me up, and I will be safe: and will have respect unto thy statutes continually."  I know I am safe from my addictions in God's word - however, to be honest, to honor and respect God's continually is more than I am capable of.  I know that without that however, I will succumb to my addictions.  So, I pray for capacity for continual respect, and the continual presence of God in my life.

Thank God for the healing power of psalms, which give me strength over the problems and addictions in my life.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.