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R. T. Tippett

Psalm 99 - Knowing how to be one of all who say "Our Yahweh"

Updated: Jan 9, 2022

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1 Yahweh is King; let the people tremble; *

he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.

2 Yahweh is great in Zion; *

he is high above all peoples.

3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *

he is the Holy One.

4 "O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; *

you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob."

5 Proclaim the greatness of Yahweh elohenu and fall down before his footstool; *

he is the Holy One.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *

they called upon Yahweh, and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *

they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.

8 Yahweh elohenu, you answered them indeed; *

you were el who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.

9 Proclaim the greatness of Yahweh elohenu and worship him upon his holy hill; *

for Yahweh elohenu is the Holy One.


--------------------


This is the Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will follow a reading from Exodus, where a dreamlike prophecy is told in the breaking of the Tablets, causing Moses to go back up for a second set. Upon his return his face glowed from having talked with Yahweh. We then read, “When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.” After the first two readings, there will be a presentation from Paul’s second letter to the Christians of Corinth. There he wrote, “Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.” All will then accompany the Gospel reading from Luke, where Jesus was Transfigured. We read there, “Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.”


In the above translation presented, one should note that in seven places David wrote the proper name “Yahweh,” which I have restored in bold type. Each of those specific namings are routinely translated as “the Lord,” which is wrong, because it makes Yahweh be distant, unknown, and separate from one’s soul. It is vital to know the name of one’s divine Husband, if one is seeking redemption and salvation.


Relative to those seven namings, David combine with Yahweh the Hebrew word “elohenu,” which states “our gods.” David wrote “elohenu” four times. The plural number is clearly written; and, to highlight that known difference, David also wrote the singular number word “el,” which is one “god.” At no time did David call Yahweh a God, because Yahweh is more than a “god.” Yahweh is the Creator of all, which includes all “gods.” The combination of words that are “Yahweh elohim” is reference to Adam, who was a creation of Yahweh's on the seventh day, for the purpose of saving the souls of mankind. The application of “our” to “elohim” ["elohenu"] means Yahweh is the possessor of these “gods,” of whom David and the true Israelites were, having been souls married to Yahweh and receiving the soul of Adam within those souls, saving them. Because they were saved souls by Yahweh, they were all Jesus resurrections; and, that is the meaning of “Yahweh elohenu.” Thus, I have restored all “elohenu” and “el” words written by David, in italics.


The language of Hebrew has no capital letters. As such, a word like Yahweh becomes capitalized as a proper noun, with capitalization being the rules of syntax that English follows. In this song of praise, names of places and people are likewise capitalized in English translation: Zion, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and Samuel. All proper names have meaning behind the names, which must be understood, because those names were given with that meaning purposefully identifying a soul born into flesh. Even the name “Yahweh” means “I AM that I AM,” which says, “Do not call me Lord.” Still, the NRSV has taken the liberty to capitalize every first word of a verse, in addition to leading readers to think the words churned out by that service have been translated as godly, in some way. Thus, they bastardize everything by capitalizing such words as: King, Name, Holy One, in addition to God [from “gods”]. All of this confuses those who read Scripture, rather than helping them be led to understanding.


Verse one is better stated as such: “Yahweh reigns let them be excited the peoples ; he dwells the cherubim , let be shaken the earth .” In this, it is clear that when Samuel told Yahweh “the peoples” wanted to have a “king” be appointed to them, so they could be like other “peoples,” Yahweh said, “I Am their King.” This is now how David projected the “reign” of Yahweh. The construct that twice says “let” means Yahweh “reigns” within those who “let” Yahweh control their souls, which is then the “excitement” of divine marriage. To see this as a presence that leads one to “tremble” means all should fear Yahweh not being his or her “King” within. Here, the word “cherubim” is understood as a form of angels, who were depicted atop the Ark; but those angels are a plural number of “elohim.” Thus, where Yahweh “dwells” is with the “cherubim.” This makes the “cherubim” be synonymous with a “Yahweh elohim;” and, when the “earth shakes,” the “earth” is one’s body of flesh, with the “shaking” again is relative to the inner presence of Yahweh’s Spirit, so one’s soul is “moved” to action by Yahweh’s commands.


In verse two, the transliterated word “bə·ṣî·yō·wn” is translated as the name “Zion.” That means nothing to Christians today. Zionism is a political movement that has absolutely no belief in God. It is all about the theft of land and a valuable possession being allowed to Jews. The lower-case “zion” means “a dry place.” A “dry place” is where there is a void of spiritual emotions. Thus, verse two literally states, “Yahweh in a dry place great ; and exalting it , upon all the peoples .” This says the presence of Yahweh coming into a soul that was alone in the flesh will expand greatly, in all ways of righteous being. When this is projected as a land (as where Jerusalem was David’s capitol city), this heart-center says the whole being that was one nation under Yahweh was then “exalted” – defined as: “placed at a high or powerful level; held in high regard.” When David was “exalted,” so too were all those “peoples” who followed his lead and commands.


Verse three then shows the capitalizations of “Name” and “Holy One.” In this, the first Hebrew word written, “yō·w·ḏū,” is a form that again states “let them,” where that allowed to the “peoples” is the ability to “cast” about “your name.” Here, the “your,” as is seen in “our elohim,” is a statement of possession. This means the “name” cast out or thrown away is one’s own “name,” because one’s soul has taken on the “name” of Yahweh, which comes from divine marriage to Yahweh’s Spirit. That "name" is Israel. Thus, the whole of verse three literally states, “let them cast your name great and fearing , sacred he .” This says a soul has become divinely possessed, as a Yahweh elohim (an angel in His name raised within one’s soul), so one is now “in the name of Yahweh,” which one “fears” ever losing that presence within. That presence is what makes one become “holy.” It is impossible to declare Yahweh as “holy,” because one cannot truly know what “holy” means, until Yahweh has transformed a sinner into a saint.


Verse four then literally sings, “and the mighty king judgment it loves you to be firm in uprightness ; judgement and righteousness , in the supplanter you have made .” In that, the word “supplanter” is used to replace the word that becomes capitalized as “Jacob.” This says that it is the “love” in one’s heart for Yahweh that He is attracted to and returns “love” to a soul, who has welcomed Yahweh as one’s “king.” The entrance of Yahweh, through divine marriage, then gives “strength” that is necessary to become “upright” in one’s life. The “judgement“ that a soul is directed by Yahweh to see is then the direction that the soul takes, which is a life that is “righteous.” This means the “supplanter” that one’s soul had been prior is itself “supplanted” by the Spirit of Yahweh. One has “grabbed the heel” of Yahweh, which means a soul has fully submitted to be at the feet of Him.

A mass gathering of human brides. Imagine all of Israel, under David, as being brides of Yahweh (males and females alike).


Verse five is then where David wrote the first of the four “Yahweh elohenu” in Psalm 99. After having sung of Yahweh dwelling with “cherubim,” which was an “exalted” state of being [from verses 1 and 2], this divine state is now repeated in verse five. The literal English translation of the Hebrew says, “they exalt Yahweh our elohim , and bow down footstools to his feet , sacred he .” This, again needs to be seen as “they” being who is “exalted” by the presence of “Yahweh” within their souls. The collective means many are divinely possessed in the same way, so all are the “elohim” that are possessed as His, thus in a related relationship, as “our.” All have submitted to the presence of Yahweh in divine marriage, so all are wives who obey every command of their Husband. That places them as “footstools” at His “feet,” which says they have become subjects of useful purpose. As His “footstools” they have become “sacred,” to be put into His service as ministers and priests.


In verse six is found the names of Moses, Aaron and Samuel. Those names bear the following meanings: “Moses” – “Child, Rescued From Drowning In Water; Extracted, Loan; Hidden, Covered.” “Aaron” – “Bright; Accumulation; Center Of Cheer.” “Samuel” – “Name Of God; Heard Of God.” The differences in each name's meanings come from which vowels are used to place between the consonants the Hebrew is mostly written in. From this, the literal translation of verse six says, “hidden center of cheer within his priests , and heard of el within those who called upon his name ; they called to Yahweh and he answered them .” This becomes a reflection of how ALL souls who serve Yahweh become just like Moses, Aaron and Samuel. In the name Samuel, the “el” must be realized as one of the collective “elohim,” which is an “angel in the flesh,” an extension of Yahweh’s hand onto the earth. They are His elohim, which is a “hidden center of cheer” that ministers to the lost souls (as “priests”). Seeing “el” as a divinely inspired saint-apostle-priest means David sang that only they can “hear” the voice of Yahweh “calling” them and “telling them” how to act.


Verse seven the literally translates into English as saying, “in the pillar cloud he spoke to them , they preserved his witnesses , and the statutes he gave them .” Following a verse that appears to name Moses and Aaron, the “pillar cloud” is assumed to be a physical phenomena that led the Israelite peoples by day. Because Samuel was not one who was so led as is written in the Exodus, “in the pillar cloud” needs to be seen for the truth that relates to the Exodus and this song of praise by David. A “pillar” is physically “a tall vertical structure” and symbolically “a person regarded as reliably providing essential support for something.” This means “in the pillar” becomes a statement of all Yahweh’s elohim who are “upright” in the way they lead their lives (influenced or led by Yahweh). The “cloud” is then the inner nebulosity that is His Spirit. It is from within this divine presence that Yahweh speaks and is heard. That personal experience makes a soul in flesh become a “witness,” whose “testimonies” are truthful, “preserving” the truth told by Yahweh in ministry that leads others (continuously) to Yahweh in marriage. The “statutes” become the Law that not only states the marriage vows, but explains them as truthful and purposeful for receiving eternal salvation.


Verse eight then presents the second use of “Yahweh elohenu,” which again is a statement of Yahweh possessing many souls, all of which are His elohim, and all of who collectively call upon Yahweh’s name in marriage ["our"]. Here, the literal English translation says: “Yahweh elohenu you answered them el lifting up you came to them ; and through you avenged according to their deeds .” In that, the use of “el” becomes the singular number of the plural "elohim.” The “answer” relates back to verse six, where those who serve Yahweh as His wives are “called” to do so, and they “respond” to that call. The “call” then goes out from souls for salvation, which Yahweh then “answers.” The creation of a soul that is elevated to the status of one of Yahweh’s “angels in the flesh” [a “god”] says those souls have been “uplifted,” when Yahweh’s spirit “came upon them.” This service of a soul then restores it from all past sins; and, it leads one to “avenge” those sins known to be done by others, through active ministry in the name of Yahweh.


Verse nine then includes two references to “Yahweh elohenu,” while repeating this as a state that is “exalted.” The literal English translation can then be read as: “those exalted Yahweh elohenu , and bow down at mountain of his sacredness ; when holy , Yahweh elohenu .” In this, again, no human can possibly “exalt Yahweh.” Likewise, no human can call Yahweh "sacred" or "holy." Yahweh’s presence is what “exalts those” who are His “elohim,” who all refer to Yahweh as His wives (as “our”). Those souls who have come into that state of being, by the presence of Yahweh – married to His Spirit as His elohim” – they are then transformed from sinners to “saints,” from unholy to “holy.” Therefore, no one can call the Spirit of Yahweh “Holy,” as only those possessed by that Spirit will know the truth of being “Holy.” That truth means being a Yahweh elohim.


In this Psalm are the names of Moses and Aaron. That presence means this Psalm was selected to be read along with the Exodus reading that mentions both names. The Epistle reading from Second Corinthians also names Moses, as does the Gospel reading from Luke. It is important to see this mention of Aaron, in the same breath with Moses and Samuel, as representative of a priest of Yahweh, who was likewise filled with the Spirit of Yahweh and the first designated High Priest of the Tabernacle. This shows that the Aaron of the Exodus reading, who feared Moses, is not a true reflection of Aaron, but one who is of the Aaronic line – a high priest of the Temple – when the Covenant had been broken and Jesus came down from the mountain as the replacement for Moses [the bearer of the New Covenant]. This Psalm confirms that account from Exodus is a prophecy, not a repeat of the Law of Moses.


As a reading for the last Sunday after the Epiphany, it is important to see this as a song that gives praise to the known collective that were (are and always will be) Yahweh’s elohim. David was one “el” of that nation that truly lived up to the name “Israel,” as he was a king of those who all claimed Yahweh as their Spiritual Husband. If one goes about reading David writing four times “Lord our God,” that does nothing to tell the reader – the singer of praise! – that all souls are expected to serve Yahweh as one of His “angels in the flesh.” That means dying of self-ego and bowing down as a footstool at the feet of Yahweh. There can be no words of praise spoken about Yahweh, if one has not been possessed by His Spirit. Then Yahweh can make it known to one the truth of being exalted and the truth about being sacred and holy. The measure of that is one speaking the Word one’s soul receives from Yahweh, after having entered His cloud and become one of His pillars meant to lead the lost to salvation. As the last Sunday after the Epiphany, one should be on the verge of internship, when the final exams are coming [Lent]. If you do not know how to sing this song of praise, there will be no survival when self-sacrifice cannot be avoided.

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