Psalm 122: They shall prosper that love thee

From Psalms

Psalm 122
¹I was glad when they said unto me,
      Let us go into the house of the Lord.
²Our feet shall stand
      within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

³Jerusalem is builded as a city
      that is compact together:
⁴Whither the tribes go up,
      the tribes of the Lord,
unto the testimony of Israel,
      to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.
⁵For there are set thrones of judgment,
      the thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
      they shall prosper that love thee.
⁷Peace be within thy walls,
      and prosperity within thy palaces.
⁸For my brethren and companions' sakes,
      I will now say, Peace be within thee.
⁹Because of the house of the Lord
      our God I will seek thy good.

The psalmist in Psalm 122 talks a lot about prosperity.  I think it's important to talk about what prosperity means in terms of the gifts of the Lord.  I say this for a couple of reasons.  First, because at this time of year with Christmas, by and large has lost a lot of the meaning of sharing the gifts of God. More correctly, "Fruits of the Holy Spirit," of  - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Second, because, as addicts we get lost in a pursuit of false prosperity.

So, the prosperity I think the psalmist writes about here are those treasures that "we shall store in Heaven."  The Fruits, as well as Gifts, of the Holy Spirit.  So it should be no surprise that the psalmist writes about peace and prosperity together as similar, or possibly the same, things.  As I write this, I am thinking...this isn't exactly prophetic.  I'm not the first to say this kind of thing.  However, as I write this I wonder, in my day-to-day life, is this how I act?  Is this the kind of prosperity that I chase?  Certainly in my recovery these are the things I know I need and aspire to. However, my actions in a regular day don't always reflect this.  The best way I can think of to reflect this is to close with part of, and a modified version of, the prayer of St. Francis (aka San Francisco) De Assisi...also the 11th step prayer.  And as I pray this - I pray this is something we can all share.

Lord make me an instruments of your peace; where there is hate, let me bring love; where there is doubt, let me bring faith; where there is despair, let me bring hope; where there is darkness, let me bring light; and where there is sadness, let me bring joy.  Let me seek to console rather than to be consoled; seek to understand rather than to be understood; let me seek to love, rather than to be loved.  For I know you have taught me, in you psalms, that it is only in giving that I will receive and truly prosper.  Amen

Thanks for letting me share.