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1 May elohim be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us. selah
2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, elohim; *
let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations upon earth. selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, elohim; *
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may elohim, elohenu, give us his blessing.
7 May elohim give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
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This is the Psalm to be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will be sung following the mandatory Acts reading, where Paul, Silas and Timothy were unable to speak the word. We read, “We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days.” Those will be followed by a reading from John’s Revelation, where he wrote: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” All will accompany a Gospel reading, which will either come from John 14 or John 5. The first choice will offer Jesus saying to his disciples, “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” The John 5 offering we read of Jesus asking a lame man if he wanted to be healed, then, “The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk."’
In this seven-verse song of praise, you will note how I have restored the five times David sang “elohim,” and the one time he wrote “elohenu.” I have placed them in italic type, because that is a Hebrew word. In all cases the words written as “elohim” are nouns in the masculine plural, with “elohenu” a noun in the masculine plural construct, a first-person common plural. In all cases the translation has been as “God” (“elohim”) or “our own God.” The word “God” qualifies as a masculine singular noun; so, it is wrong. Because it is wrong, it is not what David intended (he understood the language he wrote in and knew the difference between Yahweh and one of His “elohim”); and, I have restored the word so the intent can be seen.
In addition to those obvious changes, I have also added the word “selah,” in two places. The NRSV shows both clearly; but the Episcopal Church has decided to remove them. The word “selah” means “to life up, exalt,” which can be seen by some as a musical direction, to the “chief musician on stringed instruments,” as named in verse one (not translated) for this reading. Again, the NRSV states that in a pseudo-title to this psalm, seeing it as instructional, not lyrics. As a note to the chief musician on stringed instruments, “selah” might be read by some as a place for a ‘harp solo,’ to “exalt” one’s soul through some heavy strumming. I see it as soul directional, not a direction to ignore; so, I have restored that too in italics.
I believe the English translations lack the necessary insight that needs to be realized, in order to understand that the use of “elohim” means a possessing Spirit that comes from David having been Anointed by an outpouring of Yahweh’s Spirit. While we read of Samuel “way·yim·šaḥ” (a construct of “mashach” – “messiah”) and can understand a physical “anointment” with oil poured from a “horn,” but it is difficult to understand the following text, which says, “and came the spirit of Yahweh upon David from that day forward.” (1 Samuel 16:13) That is a capitalized “Mashach,” meaning David received the Spirit of Anointment by Yahweh – in Greek, David became a Christ. That cleanses the soul for possession by the divine soul of Yahweh’s Son; and, today we call that the soul of Jesus (a name that means “Yahweh Saves”).
For this reason, I will list each verse as they literally translate into English. No paraphrasing is allowed, as that has been done under the misguided idea that the plural word which would translate as “gods” is (for whatever reason) changed wrongly to “God.” In David’s psalms, “God” is written “Yahweh.” All of the “elohim” are the creations of Yahweh, as His “gods” or “angels,” with a soul also an eternal spirit, like an “elohim,” but set free at birth into flesh. A soul is returned to Yahweh by divine possession, which must first be cleansed of all past sins (the “Mashach” of “Spirit.” Therefore, in this psalm of praise, David was singing of praise to the “elohim” possessing his soul and flesh, which was sent to his being by Yahweh.
Verse one then literally states: “elohim will be merciful to us and bless us ; will cause to shine his face together with ours exalted .” When “elohim” is understood to be a possessing Spirit within one’s soul (the resurrection of the soul of Adam-Jesus), then it is easy to see that this presence bestowed upon a soul in the flesh is “merciful” (the cleansing of past sins) and a “blessing” (an inner feeling that drops one to his or her “knees” in thanks to Yahweh). It is the same for all souls so divinely possessed. When David then sang, “will cause his face together with ours” says the First Commandment is forever upheld by this presence of an “elohim.” That possessing Spirit places the face of Yahweh “upon” each “face,” so all are then “exalted” or “lifted up” (from “selah”) to a state of righteousness by this inner presence.
Verse two then literally states: “that will be known on earth your pathway ; among all peoples , your deliverance .” Here, the use of “erets” or “earth” (“bā·’ā·reṣ”) should be seen as the elements of the material realm that are the bodies of flesh that house a soul. The “face” of Yahweh has no reason to “shine” on mountains, or deserts, or oceans, as none of that possesses a soul. So, the verse says the “ways” of righteousness will be known by “bodies of flesh” that are animated by souls. This then leads to the large collection of “bodies of flesh” that are the “people,” from which “nations” cover the “earth.” By Yahweh’s “face together with ours,” then the “ways” of Yahweh will be demonstrated by those possessed by “elohim.” It is then that divine possession that “delivers” a soul back to Yahweh upon death in the flesh, which means “salvation” given by Yahweh to His servants (wives).
Verse three then literally states: “will praise you the peoples elohim ; will praise you the peoples all .” In this, it must be realized that “the peoples” have no true ability to “praise” Yahweh. In the fifth Sunday of Easter (Year C), when Psalm 147 was sung, which sings “praise YAH, praise Yahweh’ and praise him” thirteen times, I mentioned that it was the presence of a possessing Spirit (the inner soul of Jesus resurrected) that brings forth “praise.” One cannot know the true depth of divine “praise” without a possessing soul within. Here, in Psalm 67, David is naming that inner source of “praise” as the “elohim,” which possesses “the peoples.” This “praise” is not from a personal perspective that sings out, “Look what God gave to me!” That is not divine “praise.” Divine “praise” is the “elohim” source within, which takes that “praise” of Yahweh to “all the peoples,” so all whose souls are lost can be found.
Verse four then literally sings: “oh will be glad and sing joyfully , the peoples because you will govern the peoples righteously ; and the people on earth will be led exalted .” Following a verse that sang of the inner “praise” for Yahweh emanating from the possessing “elohim,” the soul in a body of flesh will feel the divine elevation that “praise” will bring through their beings. Their happiness will cause them to “sing joyfully” or put to melodic words what is beyond verbal expressions. This will be from the promise of salvation leading “the peoples” to live “righteous” lives, led by the “elohim” within. Here, again, “the earth” must be seen as the flesh inhabited by a soul divinely possessed, as dead soil cannot be “exalted” (from “selah”).
Verse five then literally translated into English saying: “will praise you the peoples elohim ; will praise you the peoples all .” This is a repeating of that sung in verse three. The same divine presence within – the possessing “elohim” – is the source of all “praise” in “the peoples.” Wherever one takes this “praise” and others accept it – marrying their souls to Yahweh [ala David] – then “all the peoples” will know the same “gladness and urge to sing” aloud to Yahweh.
Verse six then literally states: “the earth it will yield her increase ; will bless us , elohim elohenu .” In this, once more, the use of “erets” must not be read as the dead matter that does not contain a soul. The use of “earth” means a body of flesh, so just as “the people” reflect the “land,” “she will yield her increase” (using the feminine gender application to the transliterations “nā·ṯə·nāh yə·ḇū·lāh”) is applying femininity to “the earth.” This says “all the peoples” are souls in flesh as ‘brides-to-be,” so the “yield” of divine pregnancy is the resurrection of the “elohim” within a ‘womb soul.’ This says the “blessing” that comes from the “yield” is the birth of a new Spirit in that which became the wife of Yahweh (“she” and “her”).
A divine pregnancy is not so noticeable outwardly.
This ‘child’ reborn is then stated clearly as an “elohim,” but the addition of “elohim” in construct, saying, “our own elohim,” the plural number says all will have given birth to the Son of Yahweh, within their souls. All “the peoples” will have the same “elohim” within each (a divine duplication in multitude), so the same “elohim” will be “our own.” That states a possession, but it is not the soul that possesses this “elohim” Spirit. Instead, it is the “elohim” Spirit that possesses the soul.
Verse seven then literally sings: “will bless us elohim ; and will fear him , all the ends of the earth .” Once more the use of “the earth” must be read as “bodies of flesh” made alive by a soul given by Yahweh. Following the ‘birth’ or “the yield of the flesh,” that birth is now called “a blessing” (as all children born are). The ‘child’ is again identified as an “elohim.” The element of “fear” is not that Yahweh scares “the peoples” to serve Him. Instead, the “fear” comes from knowing the presence of the inner “elohim,” such that a soul “fears” ever being without that divine possession. This is the truth of “fear nothing but Yahweh,” where the “fear” is of losing that divine protection. This presence within will last an eternity, which is the metaphor of “the ends of the flesh,” which is death. One’s soul is assured of salvation beyond the death of the “flesh” that holds captive a soul. The “fear” of not being saved keeps one serving Yahweh the rest of one’s life “on earth.”
This Psalm 67 being chosen to be sung on a Sunday of Easter, following a Sunday where “praise Yahweh” was repeated, today’s use of “elohim” connects this psalm with Psalm 147, explaining it is the “elohim” within a soul that brings forth divine “praise.” Both psalms say it is impossible to truly offer “praise” to Yahweh without personally coming to know His inner presence. The purpose of the Easter season is to be resurrected from the dead. Here, the repetition of “earth,” rather than stating a human being or one of mankind, forces one to see that a body of flesh is only alive temporarily, when only animated by a soul from birth (first breath). A body of flesh alone is death. A body of flesh, whose soul has been resurrected with the Son of Yahweh (His elohim) means one has been raised from the dead. This is when one wears the face of Yahweh and lives righteously, as directed by that inner “elohim.” It is vital to realize this song of praise as it is intended to be sung. No songs sung by a soul unmarried to Yahweh will truly “sing joyfully” the “praise” Yahweh deserves.
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