The psalmist, in 119:76-77, pleads with God to extend his love and his mercy down to him. Three points:
First, God’s love comes to us in accordance with God’s promissory word (v. 76). We cannot be sure which imerah (“utterance” or “word”) he has in mind, but we cannot be far off in referring ourselves here to the Covenant promise formula: God will be our God, and we will be God’s people.
Second, God’s mercy is found through delight in God’s teaching (v. 77). The psalmist reads the Torah in delight (shu’im); this must mean in endless joy of communicating with God. And the psalmist knows that communing with God through Torah leads to God’s mercy and God’s very life.
Third, God’s love and mercy bring comfort (76), life (77), and prevent shame (80). Love comforts, love creates life, and knowing God prevents our being shamed because we delight in what God delights.