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1 I will exalt you, Yahweh,
because you have lifted me up *
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Yahweh elohay, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
3 You brought me up, Yahweh, from the dead; *
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
4 Sing to Yahweh, you servants of his; *
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his favor for a lifetime.
6 Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the morning.
7 While I felt secure, I said,
"I shall never be disturbed. *
You, Yahweh, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."
8 Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
9 I cried to you, Yahweh; *
I pleaded with the Yahweh, saying,
10 "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
11 Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy upon me; *
Yahweh, be my helper."
12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
Yahweh elohay, I will give you thanks forever.
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This is the second option as a “Response” to the Track 2 optional Old Testament selection from the Wisdom of Solomon. If chosen, this will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 8], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow the wisdom that says, “God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity.” These will precede the Epistle reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, where he wrote: “I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something-- now finish doing it.” All will accompany the reading from Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus raised a daughter from death, saying, ‘“Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age).”
To begin with, this psalm [a dedication to the house of David] is twelve verses, as shown by the NRSV and BibleHub Interlinear. For whatever reason, the Episcopal Church has decided to make it thirteen verses, using the same text. In addition to that inconceivable mutation, the NRSV and the Episcopal Church bastardize the name Yahweh, which was written by David ten times in this son of praise, changing all to “Lord.” In addition, there are two places where David wrote "elohay," which have been translated as "my God." Since this misses the point of what David wrote, I have reverted those references to the Hebrew text [italicized]. I have left the numbering as is will be presented to pewples who know no better, but I have inserted the name Yahweh in all places where it has been desecrated.
The first verse is translated to state: “I will exalt you, Yahweh, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me.” In this, the word “exalt” needs to be understood as Yahweh being allowed by a soul [the first person “I will”] to join with one’s soul, so a “raised” state of being [the “I”] takes over one. There is no way to “exalt” the One God who all exaltation comes from, other than being one who knows that “exaltation.” This is stated in “you have lifted me up.” Second, the element of “enemies” or “foes” must be seen as all who reject Yahweh in marriage and thereby reject all souls who have become “exalted” by His Spirit’s presence in their souls. There can be no way evil triumphs over Saints. Therefore, the correct translation is “rejoice” or “be glad,” which is stated as what those lost souls do not know, so they are further losers simply by rejecting what a state of happiness means to a soul.
Verse two then sings out [NRSV]: “Yahweh elohay, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health.” This verse begins by making a statement that Yahweh is not only “my god,” where the possessive form of the plural “elohim” truly says “my gods” or “gods of me.” This address says one’s soul is only one of many souls who Yahweh has possessed through Spiritual marriage. The union that brings a most holy Spirit alongside an ordinary soul transforms an ordinary eternal soul into a divine extension of God on earth. Therefore, a soul is just like the souls of one’s “foes,” until a soul “cries out” for redemption, where the harm of sins has injured a soul. The “healing” comes through Holy Matrimony, when becoming one of the “elohim” means salvation, no longer headed towards reincarnation.
Verse three is then sings about this saving, as [NRSV]: “You brought me up, Yahweh, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.” The literal translation makes Yahweh be the initial focus, saying, “Yahweh you ascend from the underworld – my soul you have kept alive [otherwise I would descend into the pit].” The use of brackets here means all souls are eternal, but all have been born into matter that is dead and cannot retain an eternal soul forever. Death is then the destination of a soul, through a “pit” or “descent” from heaven [the spiritual] to the physical. A soul reincarnated is not truly “alive,” as it is limited by the death that surrounds it. Therefore, Yahweh offers the escape from a descent, through the ascent that is eternal freedom and returning to life. That demands a soul marry Yahweh’s Spirit.
Verse four then says [NRSV]: “Sing to Yahweh, you servants of his; give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.” Here, the aspect of “singing” means to “make music” to Yahweh, where the intent becomes the soul vibrating an a divine level of being, which can only be seen as meaning the melodies of music being related to the unseen delights that are mimicked in sound. The presence of His Spirit makes one’s soul sense such high notes of praise. Where the translation says “you servants of his,” the Hebrew written [“ḥă·sî·ḏāw,” from “chasid”] state “piousness, godly, and kind,” where the “servant” is a “saint. It is then this state of being that becomes a statement that “gives thanks” as a vehicle placed on earth for the “memory” of Yahweh being the source of all “holiness.”
Verse five then sings, “For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, his favor for a lifetime. Weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Here is where the Episcopal Church has split one verse of David and turned this into their presentation of verses 5 and 6. The truth is all is verse five. The literal translation sates this: “for a moment --- his face is alive --- his favor for evening ; may endure weeping until in the morning joy .” Here, the statement of “a moment” sums up a lifetime of misery for a soul in a body of flesh. All of that dissipates when salvation come from divine marriage. When one’s soul wears the “face” of Yahweh, then the first Covenant agreement has been met and eternal life has returned. Marriage to Yahweh means a soul has earned the “favor” that ends the darkness from being a lost soul. All the “weeping” that made one’s soul “cry out” for help is forgotten, once the “morning” comes and light has been restored. The light brings “joy” to a soul.
The Episcopal Church then shows verse seven as: “While I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be disturbed. You, Yahweh, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."’ This is yet another bastardization of the truth that has been produced by the Episcopal Church [not the NRSV nor BibleHub Interlinear]. The reality is verse six states [literally]: “and I said in my prosperity , never shall I be shaken for long .” Verse seven then begins [but not stated fully] by saying, “Yahweh by your favor you have made stand my mountain strong .” As far as verse six is concerned, the “prosperity” must be seen as the salvation that comes from marriage to Yahweh, so one’s soul is filled with His Spirit and no longer lacking of needs being met. While the world will offer setback and challenges, none will have any lasting effect. No changes will weaken one’s faith.
As for verse seven, the reality of that shown having begun in the Episcopal Church’s concept of verse seven, is “Yahweh by your favor you have made stand my mountain strong” now adding: “--- you hid your face , I was troubled .” In that, the Episcopal Church has made this addition appear as verse eight: “Then you hid your face, and I was filled with fear.” The reality of the whole true verse then says the presence of Yahweh’s Spirit within one’s soul being makes one as strong as a mountain, immovable and towing above the others of the world. To have become so strong, one has to have memory of a past of sin, like all those of the lowlands, where the reality of Yahweh hiding His “face” says a sinner has turned away from Him AND the “face” of Yahweh can only be worn by His wives. Therefore, all who reject marriage of a soul to Yahweh will always be “troubled,” with all troubles being of their own making.
The reality that is verse eight is stated by the Episcopal Church as [under the numbering of verse 9]: “I cried to you, Yahweh; I pleaded with the Yahweh, saying,” The reality of this can be seen in the literal translation that accurately states: “to you Yahweh I cried out --- and to Yahweh I made favor shown .” This speaks of the “joy” one feels when one’s soul has indeed married Yahweh. There is no “crying” or “pleading” like selfish brats saying, “Gimme, gimme, gimme.” When one has become the wife of Yahweh, then that soul cries out praises, so others can hear. Thus, for Yahweh having shown “favor” to one’s soul, one’s soul then “makes that favor be shown” outwardly into the world.
Verse nine than asks rhetorical questions to all souls in human flesh, which are stated as [Episcopal Church verse ten]: ‘What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?” In the question that begins, “What profit is there in my blood,” the Hebrew word translated as “profit” is “be·ṣa,” from “betsa.” That word means properly, “gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit.” The Episcopal Church [and all churches descended from the Roman Catholic Church] need to see how their self-piousness is their “blood” causing their brains to think they have exclusive rights to deform a Psalm of David and call Yahweh by some lesser title. They should ask those who run that god forsaken Church, “What can I possibly gain from being corrupt?” Such self-piety leads downward, not upward towards Yahweh. The second half of that first question then concludes with the reality, “when I descend into the pit.”
The second question than rhetorically asked by David then literally says, “will give thanks the earth a conspicuous truth?” That ‘tongue in cheek’ question says the “earth” or “dust” cannot speak anything, because it is nothing but death, never having any life that can speak. This means “dirt” speaks silently about death, which is the “truth” that “conspicuously” speaks from the gravestones, above the dead whose souls have descended to reincarnation. The overall question then asks, “Why would any soul choose to come back and start all over again in another bag of dirt that is bound to fall off the soul again? What can be gained by that repetitious failure?
Verse ten then sings out [Episcopal Church 11], “Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy upon me; Yahweh, be my helper.” This is an accurate translation, but it must be realized as a confession of weakness without the presence of Yahweh in one’s being. One must be the one who “hears” the proposal of marriage, which offers redemption and salvation for a soul that otherwise is headed in the descent of human flesh. This means “mercy” is not some right to sin and sin some more, as “favor” and “graciousness” are only extended in an agreement [marriage vows] that is total commitment. This makes the first statement of “Yahweh” be the marriage,” with the second statement of “Yahweh” being one’s ministry in commitment, where that ministry demands Yahweh’s “help.”
Verse eleven [Episcopal Church 12] then sings, “You have turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.” Here, the aspect of “wailing” denotes the grief of a soul in judgment. It is the descent that comes after a body of flesh has been deposited into a hole in the ground – a grave. The “dancing” is then the joy of redemption, when a soul receives the promised eternal life that comes from the commitment of divine marriage. Then, the “sackcloth” should not be seen as some burlap bag or the haircloth of monks and priests of some religious order, as it is not intended to be read as physical clothing at all. It is metaphor for a burial shroud, no matter how finely woven that material may be. The “opening” [rather than “put off”] of the “sackcloth” is a prophecy of the shroud of Jesus being left open on the ground of the tomb, when his soul was freed from death. Being “clothed in joy” or “gladness” is the Spirit’s continued presence surrounding a soul in heaven.
The final verse then sings, “Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; Yahweh elohay, I will give you thanks forever.” In this, the word “heart” is not written. The literal translation begins with focus placed on the “purpose” or “intent” having been reached, which is the redemption of all souls, released from the material plane so they can rejoin Yahweh in the spiritual realm. It is the fulfillment of that “purpose” that becomes the “music of praise” to Yahweh. It is the “glorious” return that cannot be “kept silent.” When a soul has married “Yahweh” and become one of His “elohim” as one of “His gods the same as my soul” [“elohay”], then the reward of eternal life will mean that souls “forever sings praises” for having been saved.
When one is not too busy playing god in some social organization, which prances around fraudulently pretending to be some god’s gift to human flesh, one will realize from deep study of the Psalms that David was not just some bozo who memorized all the catchphrases of religion or theology. David’s soul became married to Yahweh [not some “lord” that was unknown or too numerous to name specifically] when Samuel anointed him as a young boy. At that time [we read], “from that day on the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David.” [1 Samuel 16:13] That means David was not thinking what lyrics would be popular with all the teenie groupies. The Spirit spoke through him and David understood what he wrote, as the Spirit showed him the meaning. Thus, as a soul still alive in a body of flesh, David could understand the deaths of past lives and fully fathom all the waywardness of a lost soul, realizing the joy of redemption. Yahweh then wrote this son of praise for people who bow down before the Episcopal Church and wear its sinful face as their own. This song is Yahweh’s message to you sinners to stop thinking your stuff don’t stink and see your corpse releasing a soul full of grief … if you do not wake up and beg Yahweh [not some pagan “lord”] for forgiveness.
As one of the options for reading with another option on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost, the message is one of ministry. To reach a state of salvation, one must realize one’s own descent into the pit of human waste that is always bound to condemn a soul to “Come back soon!” Ministry cannot be real without one having reached that personal epiphany. Ministry cannot be real when one is simply repeating what some organization says, “Here, read this. The people love to be told this.” Ministry must know the truth of Yahweh from having come to experience Him and His Son, having oneself been sacrificed so Jesus can resurrect with one’s soul. Ministry demands one be Jesus reborn; and, David was a true minister of Yahweh, so his songs must strike melodic chords within one’s soul, so others can feel the silent praise and invisible inner dancing one knows, so their souls will long for the same.
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