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1 It is a good thing to give thanks to [Yahweh], *
and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
2 To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *
and of your faithfulness in the night season;
3 On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *
and to the melody of the harp.
4 For you have made me glad by your acts, [Yahweh]; *
and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
[12] The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *
and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
[13] Those who are planted in the house of [Yahweh] *
shall flourish in the courts of [elohim];
[14] They shall still bear fruit in old age; *
they shall be green and succulent;
[15] That they may show how upright [Yahweh] is, *
my Rock, in whom there is no fault.
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This is the Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor in accompaniment to the track 2 choice from Ezekiel on the third Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 6], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. This will follow an Old Testament selection that says, “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out.” An Epistle reading from Second Corinthians will then follow, where Paul wrote: “knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus said: “The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”
In the presentation of these selected verses, you will notice I have bracketed my insertions of “Yahweh” and “elohim.” In the whole song [all fifteen verses], David wrote “Yahweh” seven times, with four of them in these selected eight verses. The NRSV has translated every one of the seven as “Lord,” which is an insult to Yahweh. Also, for some reason, the Episcopal Church shows verses 12-15 as numbered 11-14. The NRSV does not show that numbering and neither does my source for the Hebrew, as the NRSV and the BibleHub Interlinear, as both versions match the numbering I have amended by brackets. Finally, verse 13 finds a use of Yahweh and a use of “’ĕ·lō·hê·nū,” which is a possessive form of “elohim,” stating “us gods” or “our gods,” which I have noted above. A similar word is found in verse 1, which is “elyown,” meaning “high, upper.” The NRSV has capitalized this as “Most High,” as they obviously believe in the mental conditioning that “elohim” [“el” in the plural number] must translate as “God” [capitalized, in the singular number]. Both words state an elevated state of being that comes from a soul being married to Yahweh’s Spirit, so a soul is raised to a divine state of being [“most high”] and the collection of Yahweh’s wives on earth are referred to as “elohim.”
The NRSV shows verse 1 as singing, “It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,” when David sang “It is a good thing to give thanks to Yahweh.” It seems the NRSV has done the opposite by doing as it has done. Yahweh is a specific name for the One God over all – that which is spiritual. In the physical universe, there are many gods.
Genesis 1 repeated says “elohim” made this and “elohim” made that. It is wrong to change that, so it is changed to say: “God” made this and “God” made that." It is wrong because Yahweh does not wade into the physical. He allowed it and ordered his “elohim” [which He made] to make everything Genesis 1 says was made.
Just as an architect does not physically make a building that has been designed, so too did Yahweh delegate the responsibility of "creating." One must see that the physical realm is a lower state of being that is the spiritual realm; and, like the saying goes – “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” – Yahweh does not stoop so low as to wallow in the gutter with the physical. The physical is the realm of death and Yahweh is the realm of life. The only thing that brings the semblance of life into dead matter is the breaths of spirit [ruach] that comes from Yahweh, and those breaths are both “elohim” and souls.
The optional Old Testament reading for the second Sunday after Pentecost [last Sunday] told of the judgment given to “man,” “woman,” and “serpent,” as they were all banished from heaven. That story is a statement about the sending of “elohim” into the world, where only those of “man” and “woman” were allowed to return to the divine spiritual world. On the other hand, the “serpent” was forbidden from ever returning, due to its sins in heaven. That “serpent” becomes the precursor for Satan or the Devil. The realm of Satan is thus the physical, so Satan is a “Lord” that reigns happily over failed souls that have been breathed out by Yahweh into the physical of human flesh.
The “serpent” is then the “Seraphs” we read of in Isaiah’s dream, on Trinity Sunday. There are many who bow down and worship the Seraph as the highest angel, calling that “Lord.” The Jewish scholars recognize seraphim as being neither angel or divine, because the word means "fiery serpent." It was the serpent that influenced Cain, who was influenced by the serpent to become the first priest for false religion in the world. Adam and Eve were the first priests to teach animal-mankind [male and female the elohim made them] about Yahweh and that He wants His souls back. The curse of knowing of good and evil means a soul must pick one over the other, not both. Calling “Yahweh” “Lord” is then a sign of worshiping Satan, the same error of reasoning that Cain made.
With that background stated, it is evil to give thanks to an unnamed “Lord.” I know that because the NRSV also deleted the words of David that said, “This is a song for singing on the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was the day blessed and made holy by Yahweh, when He said Creation [His design] was completed. Without making that distinction of divinity known specifically, every day becomes a wonderful time for heathens to run around giving thanks to every “Lord” those souls bow down before and worship as sinners. The Sabbath day is when Yahweh declared “This day is holy,” and the "seventh day" of Yahweh still exists today, until the end of the age. The only way to cut out the words David wrote as the introduction and be justified is to state the name of Yahweh as to whom thanks is good to give.
The second half of the first verse then adds, “to sing praises to your Name, O Most High.” Here is where the word “‘el·yō·wn” must be seen as connected to the statement “lə·šim·ḵā,” which is “in your name.” When a human being has taken on “the name” it has become married, as a wife takes the name of a husband. How can one professing to have religious faith ever take on “the name” of Yahweh, if that person cannot stomach saying that “name”?
To sing praises “in your name” means to be elevated Spiritually [the essence of making music, which cannot be seen] from a divine union. That union is then called “elyown,” because a soul has climbed “most high,” entering into an “upper” realm that is most holy.
Verse 2 then sings, “To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning,” where that “declared” [“lə·hag·gîḏ,” or “nagad”] is the “speaking in tongues of divine language.” This is such that the “declarations” are bringing attention to that written in holy texts, unseen by normal eyes. By having one’s soul raised “most high,” the purpose is then to shout out the truth that represents the “dawning” of light. These revelations come from a soul being married to Yahweh, bringing forth “His loving kindness.”
The second half of verse two then adds, “of your faithfulness in the night season.” Here, the element of “night” [“bal·lê·lō·wṯ,” or “layil”] speaks of the state of death all mortals are born into – soul in flesh. The “night” brings out all temptations, as a time when the cover of “darkness” makes it seem easy to sin, without detection. Normal souls always fall prey to those lures and traps. It is the “faithfulness” of a soul married to Yahweh, who then submits to His Will while remaining as a soul in mortal flesh, so the light of truth becomes a beacon of “faith at night.” That 'nightlight' is so others can not only hear the words of truth, but they will see the works of truth too.
Verse 3 then sings: “On the psaltery, and on the lyre, and to the melody of the harp,” where it is obvious that musical instruments are used as metaphor for those “most high.” This becomes the way Yahweh plays His wives in ministry. They becomes His ministers who produce the music of Scripture in ways that makes the hearts [the inner souls] of others smile, dance and sing praises.
Verse 4 then follows by singing, “For you have made me glad by your acts, Yahweh; and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.” In that, the words translated as “in your acts” are not written. They are paraphrase additions. The first half says, “you have made me glad Yahweh,” where the “rejoicing” comes from the touch of a soul to Yahweh. This is not physical emotions, such that "gladness" does not come from the flesh being emotionally tickled from something [anything] emanating from the world. This means the state of “gladness” has totally Spiritual origins.
The second half of this verse actually repeats the focus on “works.” The Hebrew “bə·p̄ā·‘o·le·ḵā” [from “poal”] says “through your works,” which becomes the minister or priest who does the “works, deeds, achievements” of Yahweh. These “works” are the playing of the instruments that send forth beautiful music. Next, David wrote “bə·ma·‘ă·śê” [from “masseh”], which says “in the works.” That reference then become those acts of the ministers and priests of Yahweh. As such, these “works” are done by “the hands” of Yahweh [“yā·ḏe·ḵā” = “your hands”], meaning souls married to Yahweh becomes His “elohim,” who are extensions of Yahweh on earth, as “His hands.” The “triumph” is actually “a ringing cry” [“’ă·ran·nên”] sounded by Yahweh’s instruments.
At this point, the Episcopal Church leaps forward to verse 12 [which they number as 11], singing, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.” Here, the metaphor shifts from musical instruments to growths of plant life on earth, with “the righteous” [“ṣad·dîq,” from “tsaddiq”] must be understood to be those souls married to Yahweh. Since it is impossible for any single soul [one not married to Yahweh] to actually be “righteous” or “just” [although many pretend to be self-righteous], the skipped verses have developed the marriage of souls to Yahweh to this point of metaphorical development. That development is so that they have now become ready to spread like plants, through their seeds being a statement of their ability to bear fruit. This then prophesies Christianity. The aspect of a “cedar tree” makes this Psalm choice be a perfect match for the track 2 Ezekiel reading. The key phrase here is “he shall grow” [from “yiś·geh”], which means “increase” in number.
Verse 13 then sings, “Those who are planted in the house of Yahweh shall flourish in the courts of us elohim.” In this, the word “flourish” is repeated from verse 12 [“yip̄·rāḥ” and then “yap̄·rî·ḥū”], where the root meaning is to “bud” and “shoot.” The root word that translates as “those who are planted” [“shathal”] means “transplanted,” where a purposeful act of “planting” takes place. This is opposed to some wind-blown natural occurrence of the world. The “planter” is then Yahweh, as it is from His “house” [“bə·ḇêṯ” or “beth”] they are initially “grown” - the 'greenhouse' of true religion.
The word translated as “in the courts” [“bə·ḥaṣ·rō·wṯ,” from “chaster”] means “an enclosure,” which is the same meaning coming from the word used in Genesis 2 as “garden.” This has the effect of stating that those planted by Yahweh are sealed away or enclosed with the divinity of Yahweh, which cannot be penetrated by the weeds of the world. Thus, it is “us elohim” [“our souls made gods of Yahweh” through holy matrimony] that “will flourish” by taking root and producing good fruit.
Verse 14 then says, “They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be green and succulent.” Rather than translate the intent of “‘ō·wḏ” as “still,” the word has more impact as “continuing” or “a going around.” This says the fruit produced by the plants of Yahweh do not wilt and die, but have eternal lasting power. The typical degeneration of “old age” is when one becomes weak and non-productive, as the flowers cease and the plant dies. A minister or priest of Yahweh, however, is still able to give sage advice and explain the truth, so new fruit will always be the potential. Thus, the vine of truth is always kept “fat” [“də·šê·nîm,” from “dashen”] and “fresh” [“wə·ra·‘ă·nan·nîm,” from “raanan”]. This is now a third way David sang of “flourishing,” which is omitted from the translation.
Verse 15 the concludes, “That they may show how upright Yahweh is,” where David wrote “lə·hag·gîḏ” [from “nagad”], which returns the reader to verse 2, where the same word began that line of song. The word says, “to declare,” in a way that a minister or priest “is upright” [“yā·šār”], from having married Yahweh. It is ridiculous to think anyone would write lyrics to a song of praise that gives thanks to Yahweh, for Yahweh being upright. Yahweh is Yahweh, which has all, including every possible direction. For one to be “right” or “upright” is then a statement that one is so, because of Yahweh is merged within him or her. The use should be seen as one’s declaration being of righteousness, which is spoken less in words [the Law] and more in deeds and acts.
When David then said “Yahweh my rock,” the reality is “Yahweh” is a stand-alone name, which separately follows “upright.” That separation says those "upright" as not directly a part of Yahweh, such that His elohim reflect the influence His presence - the Spirit that makes one be Holy. This presence [the symbolism of the Leviathan David sang of in another song] is the only way one “declares righteousness.” Those "declarations" are more demonstrative than spoken.
Following “Yahweh” is the separate word that says “my rock” [“ṣū·rî”]. This should bring to mind how Jesus changed the name of Simon bar Jonah to “Petros” or “Peter,” meaning “Stone.” Such a claim says one is immovable in one’s faith. That is another statement that says the soul is married to Yahweh, whose Spirit is permanent. It also reflects on the Rolling Stone of Easter Sunday, such that Jesus becomes the "Rock" that allows one's soul to escape the limitations of the grave, which is reincarnation.
The final statement translated as “in whom there is no fault,” which is another superfluous statement. Seeing Yahweh as having "no fault" is as pointless as saying Yahweh is "upright." Duh!
In actuality, David placed brackets around “‘aw·lā·ṯāh” [“unrighteousness”] and parentheses around “bōw” [implied “him”], where the final words state the alternative to “not” having Yahweh as one’s “rock,” so one stands “upright” and “declares” the truth to the world is the absence of Yahweh. The only connection to Yahweh those souls have is He breathed life into the dead matter that became their bodies of flesh. The brackets then silently say [like the uses of elohim in Genesis 1] there can be nothing unrighteous in Yahweh, ever. Let the brackets be seen as a separation from eternal life for all single souls [those unwed to Yahweh].
As the accompanying Psalm that goes along with the Ezekiel reading, the metaphor of planted growths and fruit producing instruments of Yahweh must be seen amplified in the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus spoke similarly, in parables using seeds. Everything boils down to the marriage of a soul to Yahweh’s Spirit, as simply wanting to do good will not make one always do good. The world will break one’s soul down to a sniveling dog that does whatever the flesh says to do [a “Lord” over a soul], without that divine union.
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