Psalm 145: The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him

Psalm 145
(A psalm of praise.  Of David.)

¹I will extol thee, my God, O king;
      and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
²Every day will I bless thee;
      and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

³Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
      and his greatness is unsearchable.
⁴One generation shall praise thy works to another,
      and shall declare thy mighty acts.
⁵I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,
      and of thy wondrous works.
⁶And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts:
      and I will declare thy greatness.
⁷They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness,
      and shall sing of thy righteousness.

⁸The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion;
      slow to anger, and of great mercy.

⁹The LORD is good to all:
      and his tender mercies are over all his works.
¹⁰All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD;
      and thy saints shall bless thee.
¹¹They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom,
      and talk of thy power;
¹²To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,
      and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
¹³Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
      and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

¹⁴The LORD upholdeth all that fall,
      and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
¹⁵The eyes of all wait upon thee;
      and thou givest them their meat in due season.
¹⁶Thou openest thine hand,
      and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The LORD is righteous in all his ways,
      and holy in all his works.
¹⁸The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him,
      to all that call upon him in truth.
¹⁹He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him:
      he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
²⁰The LORD preserveth all them that love him:
      but all the wicked will he destroy.
²¹My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD:
      and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Often, when I view these psalms I see the "fallen" as the psalmist (David) here in verse 14 discusses as being addicts.  The same is true for verses 18 and 19, for the followers that reach out and cry out to the Lord, again as being addicts.  Unfortunately, the problems that addicts create are not restricted to themselves.  As addicts we involve other victims - more often than not the people we love and cherish the most.  More often than not these people in our lives have a much better perspective on our addictions and problems.  So, it goes that they are the most likely to be calling upon God.  So, today's prayer is for the victims of addicts, of which there are many who suffer silently often in a battle with an addict unwilling to see the reality of their ways.

Today, Lord, I pray for the victims of addicts.  For the ones we love the most are also the ones that we hurt the most in our addictions.  We steal from them; steal their money, steal their time, and abuse their love.  We spend money on addictions, when it is needed to support the ones we love.  We spend time in our addictions, when what we really need is to spend time with the ones we love.  Lord, may you hold up our victims.  Give them the strength they need to face the problems, which we, the addicts, create.  Help the addicts in their lives find a path to recovery - for the sake of the victims.  These loved ones in our lives grow weary of our addict nature, our dishonesty, our secrets, and our stealing.  Be their rocks and help their relationships be recovered.  Restore the trust and the faith that is needed for these relationships to be strong.  Both with You and with each other.  God be with them and be with all of us.  In Your name I pray - Amen.

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Psalm 144: Blessed be the Lord my strength/my rock

Psalm 144
(τω δαυιδ προς τον γολιαδ: Of David against Goliath.)

¹Blessed be the LORD my strength
      which teacheth my hands to war,
      and my fingers to fight:
²My goodness, and my fortress;
      my high tower, and my deliverer;
my shield, and he in whom I trust;
      who subdueth my people under me.

³LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him!
      or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
⁴Man is like to vanity:
      his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

⁵Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down:
      touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
⁶Cast forth lightning, and scatter them:
      shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
⁷Send thine hand from above;
      rid me,
and deliver me out of great waters,
      from the hand of strange children;
⁸Whose mouth speaketh vanity,
      and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
      upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
¹⁰It is he that giveth salvation unto kings:
      who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
¹¹Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children,
      whose mouth speaketh vanity,
      and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

¹²That our sons may be as plants
      grown up in their youth;
that our daughters may be as corner stones,
      polished after the similitude of a palace:
¹³That our garners may be full,
      affording all manner of store:
that our sheep may bring forth thousands
      and ten thousands in our streets:
¹⁴That our oxen may be strong to labour;
      that there be no breaking in, nor going out;
      that there be no complaining in our streets.
¹⁵Happy is that people, that is in such a case:
      yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

I have often heard that the Lord is my rock, as in a firm foundation.  However, the Lord is my rock, in the context of David and Goliath, is a whole new meaning.  He is David's strength and my power, not just a foundation for his strength, but quite literally everything that allowed David to defeat Goliath.  What do you think you need to be successful?  To conquer your demons?  God will not only grant that which you need, God is that which you need.

Lord, you are the rock in our lives, our refuge, our strength.  You are what we need to conquer our demons, what we need to overcome our enemies, and to accomplish our goals.  I know I don't live like that's what I believe.  Sometimes I get caught up in the rat race and I place my selfish desires ahead of you.  When I see I am making that mistake I try to correct myself.  However, I know all my success in my recovery has Your fingerprint on it.  My success has come from these Psalms and the 12 steps.  In these things I see you.  You are the 12 steps and you are my Psalms - You are my strength and my rock.  I pray that through this other can see that You can be their rock, too.  Help me live a life that praises You, and that others can see the power of Your way of life.  In your sons name, Jesus Christ, I pray.  Amen.

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Psalm 143: Cause me to know the way

Psalm 143
(A psalm of David.)

¹Hear my prayer, O LORD,
      give ear to my supplications:
in thy faithfulness answer me,
      and in thy righteousness.
²And enter not into judgment with thy servant:
      for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
³For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
      he hath smitten my life down to the ground;
he hath made me to dwell in darkness,
      as those that have been long dead.
⁴Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me;
      my heart within me is desolate.
⁵I remember the days of old;
      I meditate on all thy works;
      I muse on the work of thy hands.
⁶I stretch forth my hands unto thee:
      my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.                Selah.

⁷Hear me speedily, O LORD:
      my spirit faileth:
hide not thy face from me,
      lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
⁸Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
      for in thee do I trust:
cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
      for I lift up my soul unto thee.
⁹Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies:
      I flee unto thee to hide me.
¹⁰Teach me to do thy will;
      for thou art my God:
thy spirit is good;
      lead me into the land of uprightness.

¹¹Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake:
      for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
¹²And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies,
      and destroy all them that afflict my soul:
      for I am thy servant.

Oh Lord, I lift my soul to thee.  You have given me great gifts and I can see you work in the changes in my life and my body.  Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning - help me here the poetry and music of your creation as I start everyday.  Teach me to do thy will - for thou art my Lord.  Help me be a light for Your message and Your way of life.  Quicken me *gulp* O Lord - prepare me for that path you have intended me for.  I have been through much, and despite the fact that I am not looking forward to more quickening, I do know that much good will come of it.  By going through more quickening or strengthening I know You bring my soul out of trouble.  I have faith in this and so I am your willing servant.  All this I pray in your name - AMEN.

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Psalm 142: Bring my soul out of prison

Psalm 142
(A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.)

¹I cried unto the LORD with my voice;
      with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
²I poured out my complaint before him;
      I shewed before him my trouble.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
      then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked
      have they privily laid a snare for me.
⁴I looked on my right hand, and beheld,
      but there was no man that would know me:
refuge failed me;
      no man cared for my soul.

⁵I cried unto thee, O LORD:
      I said, Thou art my refuge
      and my portion in the land of the living.

⁶Attend unto my cry;
      for I am brought very low:
deliver me from my persecutors;
      for they are stronger than I.
⁷Bring my soul out of prison,
      that I may praise thy name:
the righteous shall compass me about;
      for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

OK, I've never been hiding out in a cave the way David has, but I do know what it feels to have "my spirit was overwhelmed within me."  I also know what it feels like to be trapped in situation, to feel like my soul is in a prison.  Both during my days addiction and in my days of recovery.  Make no mistake that these situations don't go away in recovery.  The difference is in my response to these situations.  Rather than responding by ignoring the problems and drowning myself in alcohol, or turning to strip bars and porn, I rely on my faith.  I now realize that my problems are not so unique.  That I am not the only man who sometimes disagrees with his wife.  That I am not the only person who has had a horrible boss.  So, now I ask people for help.  I tell people what I honestly feel - not what I think they want to hear.  This has given me incredible freedom.  For this incredible freedom, I have God to thank.

Dear Lord, thank you for your support and courage.  Continue to guide me when I feel lost.  Hold me up when I am tired - seemingly too tied to even pray.  Help me be a light for others who face similar struggles with addiction.  Lead me not into temptation and continue to deliver me from the prison of addiction.  As you know this struggle is one I (and all addicts) face on a daily basis.  Just as you there with me, be there for others who seek a road of recovery.  Bring people into their lives that can guide them and give them hope.  For those who love addicts, also give them hope and free them from their prisons.  For their spirits' overwhelm them, too.  For addicts are a handful, alcoholics tend to hurt and abuse the ones they love the most.  Indeed you know their paths, and few people are there for them.  Be there for them and they will praise your name.  It is in your son Jesus Christ's name that I pray these things - AMEN.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 141: Let the righteous smite me; it shall be kindness

Psalm 141
(A psalm of David.)

¹LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me;
      give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
²Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense;
      and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth;
      keep the door of my lips.
⁴Incline not my heart to any evil thing,
      to practise wicked works
with men that work iniquity:
      and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness:
      and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil,
which shall not break my head:
      for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

⁶When their judges are overthrown in stony places,
      they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
⁷Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth,
      as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

⁸But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the LORD:
      in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
⁹Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me,
      and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
      whilst that I withal escape.

Hi my name is Rex and I'm an alcoholic and a sex addict.  This is the most honest thing I can say about myself.  It's cleansing, kind of a relief, to share this, which I hide and I lie about everyday.  All day long we hide behind facades of what we think we are and how we think people perceive us.  Behind those facades where we hide our weaknesses, our threats, our fears, our lies...and of course our addictions.  As I read verse 5 of psalm 141 I realize that we need to expose these things in order to start the recovery process.  Having a righteous person reprove or rebuke us is one way to help us expose these weaknesses.  In this way it kindness and oil on our head.  Obviously, in the moment, exposing and acknowledging these weaknesses and short coming is never painless.  However, it is a necessary step in the recovery process.  Recovery can never happen without admitting to these weaknesses and fears.  Therefore exposing them is a gift.  After all we are all human and all suffer from some weaknesses and fears.  Recovery is about changing the way we respond to their existence.

Dear God, as the psalmist...err...David, in this case, writes: "Incline not my heart to any evil thing," and further, "Keep me from the snares which" which evil men have laid for me.  Instead, help me keep "mine eyes unto thee, O God the Lord."  For it is in Your name and Your word that I have faith.  When I focus on You and Your word I am not tempted.  As long as I maintain this focus, You give me the strength to overcome my temptations.  For this I am grateful.  Let my example also help and give strength to the other addicts that suffer.  Let my example also help expose the weaknesses and lies for those other addicts - that they, too, may start their process of recovery.  It is in Your name and Your word that I pray.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 140: I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted

Psalm 140
¹Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man:
      preserve me from the violent man;
²Which imagine mischiefs in their heart;
      continually are they gathered together for war.
³They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent;
      adders' poison is under their lips.                          Selah.

⁴Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
      preserve me from the violent man;
      who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
⁵The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords;
      they have spread a net by the wayside;
      they have set gins for me.                                     Selah.

⁶I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God:
      hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
⁷O God the LORD, the strength of my salvation,
      thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked:
      further not his wicked device;
      lest they exalt themselves.                                     Selah.

⁹As for the head of those that compass me about,
      let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
¹⁰Let burning coals fall upon them:
      let them be cast into the fire;
      into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
¹¹Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth:
      evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

¹²I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
      and the right of the poor.
¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name:
      the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

O God, be with me today, as You are the strength of my salvation.  Without you, my goal of sobriety for today will not be possible.  Sometimes I feel like the evil man that is out to get me is myself.  Nevertheless, I know that you will maintain the cause of the afflicted.  I know that you have your hand on me and will watch out for me today - like you have so many days in the past.  I have faith that you will cast aside the evil temptations, the cords and deep pits which trap and bind me up.  I have faith that you will continue to be my strength to deal with those temptations, and deliver me safely to the end of the day sober.  At the end of this sober day, and all sober days, I will give thanks to You for this salvation.  Selah...and Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.