1 To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul; [2] elohay, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 [3] Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 [4] Show me your ways, Yahweh, *
and teach me your paths.
4 [5] Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are elohe of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 [6] Remember, Yahweh, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.
6 [7] Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, Yahweh.
7 [8] Gracious and upright is Yahweh; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 [9] He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 [10] All the paths of Yahweh are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
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I wrote a commentary about these selected verses from Psalm 25 and posted those views in 2021. The title of that article is “Being led to find the truth.” Clicking on that link will allow one to read that commentary. Also in 2021, I wrote another commentary that addresses the same verses in Psalm 25, with that assessment entitled “A sinner’s plea for salvation.” Again, clicking on that link will bring up that article for your reading pleasure. The multiplicity of my observations is due to these selected verses from Psalm 25 being read on Lent 1B and Advent 1 C, with Proper 10C being a third time this reading is made possible for public hearing. To complete this ‘trilogy,’ I will now add additional views, based on it being a selection [Track 2] for the Ordinary after Pentecost season. Please feel free to read the other two and compare them all. Salvation demands such seriousness.
Please take note how the verse numbers presented by the Episcopal Church do not match the reality of Psalm 25. The NRSV (said to be the reference source for the Episcopal Church) clearly shows the numbering that I have placed within brackets, meaning the Episcopal Church has some unknown reason for changing David’s divinely inspired psalm and turning it into their own song. In addition, the NRSV and the Church have mutated “Yahweh” (written six times in these verses) as “the Lord.” Additionally, the words “elohay” and “elohe” are left untranslated, rather than show them incorrectly as “my God” or “the God,” when both Hebrew words are masculine plural constructs. The plural number eliminates a singular “god” as a viable translation. The use of both must be realized as David singing about “my elohim” and “the elohim” that is the divine possessing soul of Yahweh’s Son – Adam-Jesus.
The literal translation of the true first verse sings, “into you Yahweh my soul I will take .” To read these words inversely, the first person “I” is not David, but “Yahweh.” Rather than think any soul in a body of flesh has any power to choose or command to go “into you Yahweh,” the spiritual truth is “Yahweh” is the one who has come “into” the soul of David, so the second-person masculine is the masculine presence of Yahweh. This makes “you” be transformed to identify with “Yahweh,” who has sent His Spirit “into” one’s soul, bring about a Spiritual “you.” That element of a “soul” is then promised freedom from the punishment of death without salvation, by “nephesh” being read as “living being” or “life.” A soul alone in its flesh takes on the feminine essence of the world, but a “soul” resurrected with the ‘twin’ soul of Adam-Jesus becomes the masculine spirituality that become “alive.” This is then the promise of eternal life, due to that presence within one’s “soul,” which will be “taken” by Yahweh in divine union. Thus, this simple verse sings of David’s gladness from have Yahweh penetrate his being through His outpouring of Spirit – his divine Baptism with Spirit (a Messiah or Christ Anointment).
By taking verse two and making it appear to be a continuation of verse one, the Hebrew word “elohay” seems natural to be a reference to the “Yahweh” to whom David’s “soul” was “lifted.” That makes “my God” be a statement of honor to “Yahweh.” However, when “elohay” begins a new verse, it must be taken as a separate focus from “Yahweh.” This use by David then is no different that Moses repeatedly saying, “Yahweh eloheka,” where “your elohim” is exactly the same as David singing “my elohim.” Verse two is then explaining how David’s “soul” was “taken” possession by “Yahweh,” with “into you” being now named “my elohim.”
Following that separated one-word statement (followed by a comma), David sang, “in you I trust not me will be ashamed.” In that, the first-person “I” is the shared identity of David’s soul and his elohim possessing him, as his Lord. The “me” becomes “myself,” where a “self” is David’s soul. The preposition-pronoun “in you” then mirrors verse one saying “into you;” and, that “trust” of divine possession means no “shame” of sin will befall David. In addition, the use of “enemies” is less a statement about Philistines and Gentiles, and more a statement of demons that would tempt David to sin. They will “not triumph” over David’s flesh, because his soul is under the Lordship of the Son of Yahweh – Adam-Jesus.
In verse three, David repeats the word “ashamed,” continuing the theme of verse two. He says those who find shame deal “treacherously” and “without cause.” This reflects how a soul becomes possessed by demon spirit, who then lead those waywardly to do self-abasing acts, bringing shame upon those souls. Here, the theme of Deuteronomy 30 has Moses speaking as a soul possessed by Yahweh and His elohim, to true Israelites whose souls retained the same elohim. The promise of eternal life spoken by Moses was the same “return to Yahweh” that prevented a soul from being misled to sins. In the Gospel reading from Luke 10, where Jesus was asked how to “inherit eternal life,” he spoke of the “written law” in the same was as Moses spoke of following the “commandments written in the book of instructions.” Jesus referred to this in the same was when he said to “love your neighbor as yourself.” That is the spirt “near” Moses spoke of, which is one with one’s soul. There is no external “neighbor” that will love one like Yahweh elohim loves.
Beginning in verse four, David sang a series of verses that spoke of being “taught” by Yahweh. The “teacher” is the oneness in one’s soul that is Adam-Jesus. This relates to the name Jesus was addressed as, which is “Teacher.” In verse five, David sings, “teach me for you elohe of my salvation”. By reading this as “teach me for you,” this sings of submission to an inner Lord and Master that commands one’s soul to make the flesh act in ways that please the Lord and Master, so “for you” speaks of making the teacher happy. To combine “elohe salvation,” this becomes metaphor for Jesus (as well as Adam), whose purpose by Yahweh is to teach lost souls, so those souls will be saved from eternal ruin.
In all, this accompanying Psalm to the Track 2 Old Testament selection from Deuteronomy 30 sings a parallel song of serving one’s elohim, after divine union with Yahweh. It is an important Psalm to learn, as it will be read three times in the lectionary cycle. David’s songs of praise always name Yahweh specifically, while also identifying the elohim that does not mean a nebulous and external “God.” It is important for those souls seeking eternal salvation to see the shame in their own laziness and unwillingness to study Scripter and be led by an inner voice that leads one to find the truth. This is how realizing “the truth shall set you free” is talking about marriage to Yahweh and being where the soul of His Son is resurrected means the truth shall be known; and, that knowledge will free one’s soul from a judgment of death, given the promise of eternal life.
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