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1 Those who trust in Yahweh are like Mount Zion, *
which cannot be moved, but stands fast forever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem; *
so does Yahweh stand round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore.
3 The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the land allotted to the just, *
so that the just shall not put their hands to evil.
4 Show your goodness, Yahweh, to those who are good *
and to those who are true of heart.
5 As for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
Yahweh will lead them away with the evildoers; *
but peace be upon Israel.
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This is the Track 1 accompanying Psalm that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor on the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 18], Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. If Track 1 is chosen, this song of praise will follow a reading from Proverbs, where Solomon wrote, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” They will precede the Epistle reading from James, where he wrote, “For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” All will accompany the Gospel reading from Mark, when Jesus entered a home in Tyre [Sidon] and then told a Gentile woman whose daughter had a demon spirit, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
This is another of David’s “Songs of Ascent,” which means it would have been a ritual song of prayer as Israelites slowly walked up the steps carved into Mount Ophel, in the City of David, going to the Tabernacle to pray or make offerings. In these five verses, David had the Israelites sing the name of their God, writing “יהוה” four times, which transliterates as “Yah-weh.” That Hebrew name, “Yahweh,” does not translated into English as “Lord.” A “Lord” is anything or any spirit that controls a soul and its body of flesh. In the accompanying Gospel reading to this Psalm is the story of Jesus healing a Gentile daughter, one who was possessed by a demon spirit. That demon spirit was the girl’s “lord.” Therefore, that generic term is an insult to Yahweh; and, I have restored that usage in the above English translation.
Verse one literally translates into English as such: “those who trust Yahweh ; like mount Zion cannot be moved , forever dwells .” In this, the root Hebrew word translated as “those who trust” is “batach.” According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the meaning of this word is: “A primitive root; properly, to hie [an archaic word meaning "quickly go"] for refuge.” This says “those who trust” do more than just see Yahweh as an icon or statue erected in the public square, but know Him by name and experience Him as real, protective, and worthy of complete trust. David then sang this “trust” in Yahweh was “like mount Zion,” which brings two words together, where each must be seen individually as important.
Frist, a “mount” comes from “har,” which can mean a “mountain” or a significant “hill.” This is not specific, but a general state of elevation. From a “mount” one is strategically advantaged, because the high ground offers a greater scope of vision, where movements can be seen in advance of them reaching where one is. Thus, the “trust” establish is “like” being able to see things that commonly would not be seen beforehand, so preparation becomes possible, avoiding the regrets that come from hindsight. Second, David used the word that is translated into “Zion,” which is “tsiyyon.” This is read as the proper name of Mount Zion, which was the “hill” that naturally formed the initial boundary for the City of David. However, that specificity needs closer examination.
The City of David was situated between two rock outcroppings that are called Mounts Ophel [to the north] and Mount Zion [central and to the south].
The word that is most closely related to “zion” (in Hebrew – “sayon”) means “dry place, sign post, or tradition.” However, the name of Zion is thought to have preexisted the Israelites, such that the name of the place is relative to a “fortress,” with the Arabic root (“s-w-n”) meaning “to protect or defend.” [Abarim Publications] This takes one’s mind back to Jerusalem having been named Jebus, ruled by the Jebusites, whose “fortress” was what David took to be his city. It was there that David determined to move the Ark into the Tabernacle placed high upon Mount Ophel. Therefore, David is singing about the “trust” a soul has in Yahweh being the same elevated protection of a “fortress” that has both physical and spiritual elements.
When one recalls the Jebusites were most likely Yahweh elohim chosen to defend the Israelite peoples in the land promised to them by Yahweh, David is now singing about the Israelites having received the same elohim protection through their own souls’ having placed their “trust” in Yahweh – through divine marriage to Him. This is the insight that comes from the word that singularly has meaning - "Zion." It is the name of holy ground; and the flesh of a soul married to Yahweh becomes holy ground, which is elevated "like a mount."
When David then sang out this protection “cannot be moved,” this was less about the physical strength and immobility of the specific place Mount Zion is [the City of David], because David took that “fortress” to make it his city. By changing hands it “moved.” The permanence is then more about a soul having united with Yahweh’s Spirit, which last forever; and, that presence cannot be removed from one’s soul, once joined in holy matrimony. This is why every time David sang “lə·‘ō·w·lām” (“olam”) in one of his Psalms [meaning “long duration, antiquity, futurity,” translated as “for ever”], this sings of eternity. Eternity is a statement about Yahweh joined with a soul that has been promised a release from captivity in the physical realm.
In realizing the depth of meaning that comes from the first verse in this Psalm, it should be seen that those who translate the Hebrew text Psalms of David have a tendency to give names to them, which relate to the first verse verbiage. The BibleHub heading identified Psalm 125 as “So Yahweh Surrounds His People” (my restoration of “Yahweh,” replacing “the Lord”). The NRSV calls this song “The Security of Yahweh’s People” (same here, with “Yahweh” replacing “God”) and the NASB calling it “Yahweh Surrounds His People” (ditto as with BibleHub). All of this “security” comes from Yahweh “surrounding” the souls of His wives [animated human flesh], making them be “fortresses” of Yahweh upon the earth.
With these intuited titles seen, verse two then literally sings, “Jerusalem , as the mountains surround so surrounds Yahweh his people , from now until forever .” Here, it can be seen that the focus placed on eternity is repeated (from “‘ō·w·lām”). When the metaphor of verse one was “like a mount,” now it is “as the mountains surround.” This is where some titles reflect this encompassing presence of Yahweh. As for “Jerusalem,” the meaning behind the name says, “In Awe Of Peace, Teaching Peace.” [Abarim Publications] It must be realized that Melchizedek was the King of Salem, who resided in the fortress city of Salem, a word that means “peace” (from “shalom) or “to be or make whole or complete” (from “shalem”). Thus, the segregation of this word, as a one-word statement, says it represents the place that was the City of David, but more importantly the place on the earth where heaven touches, bringing a soul great contentment as where shelter can be found. This protection is enveloping, as the presence of God’s love being one with one’s soul.
Verse three then literally sings in English, “for not shall rest the scepter of wickedness , upon the allotment of righteousness intend not to send the righteous to iniquity their hands .” Here, the Hebrew word “šê·ḇeṭ” (“shebet”) is translated as “scepter,’ when the word can also mean “rod, staff, club, and/or tribe.” The use as “tribe” brings in the divisions of Israel, as the descendants of the different sons of Jacob, where David was a son of a Jesse, from Bethlehem, a town in Judah, a Tribe of Jacob. That lineage made David a Judean tribesman that ascended to be king of both Judah and Israel. As the second King of Judah, David sang that Yahweh’s eternal promise to the children of Israel [meaning the elohim that elevated Jacob from sinner to saint] was only to those who would transform from wickedness to righteousness. Therefore, no ruler of those people could ever be less than Yahweh – His surrounding presence of divinity – or it would become ruled by “wickedness.”
In the second half of this verse, the traditional translation is to intuit “land” into the word “gō·w·ral” (from “goral”), which simply means “a lot (for casting).” The NAS Exhaustive Concordance shows this same word being translated Biblically into these meanings: allotted (2), allotted portion (1), choice (1), land (1), lot (53), lots (15), lots and the lot (1), and territory allotted (2). Only in a few instances is “land” made the focus. The “allotment” is not intended to be placed on property in the material universe, but on “righteousness.” That state of being is opposed to anything less than, which is then “wickedness.” While the twelve tribes of Israel were allotted divisions of land, by casting lots, none of those “tribes” of people were given land by peoples who already lived there. Their presence was allowed (allotted) by Yahweh, because they were the descendants whose soul were elohim and had inherited the name meaning “He Retains God” (“Israel”). Thus, the promise made by Yahweh – through the marriage commitment document – the Covenant – was that to souls, not to bodies of flesh. Those souls descended from the elevated holy ground that ascended from Jacob into Israel were given eternal ‘property’ in heaven, in return for their service as His elohim on earth.
The history of the nations of Israel and Judah is recorded, so we know they would certainly become led by “scepters” of “wickedness.” Those nations and its peoples would be collapsed into ruin, with all lands lost and its peoples exiled and enslaved. This was then prophesied by David, as the voice of Yahweh in song, when he foretold, “intend not to send the righteous to iniquity their hands.” In that, the Hebrew word “lə·ma·‘an” (from “maan”) states the “intent” or “purpose” of placing the children of Israel into a safe area where they could properly develop into priests of Yahweh. Their placement in Canaan was for them to become fully righteous peoples, through marriage to Yahweh. That region was where Salem was, where the Jebusites resided underground; so, the children of God would have elohim assisting their spiritual growth and development. Still, that placement brought forth the intention to prove their merit as God's children, bringing out “the hands” of Satan, who would tempt (thereby test the children) with lures “to iniquity.” As such, the “purpose” and "intent" was to make Yahweh elohim; but that also allowed for the creation of Satanic elohim, who would evict the peoples drawn “to iniquity” from the lands their impure souls had been sold, thinking a spirit could posses matter [i.e.: land].
By David seeing that threat to the souls of the Israelite peoples under his lead, verse four then sings [literally translated into English]: “do good Yahweh to good ; to be upright in their hearts .” Here, one should be prompted to recall Jesus being addressed by the rich, young Jewish leader, who asked Jesus, “What good shall I do, so that I might have eternal life?” Jesus asked him back, “Why ask me about good?” Jesus then said, “There is only one who is good,” which inferred Yahweh. That answer given by Jesus matches what David wrote here, which says, “do good Yahweh to good.” That says for one to follow the Commandments, then one must have complete “trust” [faith] in Yahweh, through divine union with His Spirit, so one does not act selfishly. Instead, one does the acts commanded by Yahweh, which is His goodness extended upon the earth. This is then the fulfillment of a soul being married to Yahweh, where “uprightness” is “righteousness,” which comes from one’s “inner man” or “soul” [the truth of “heart,” from “libbah”].
The final verse [five] then literally translates into English as saying, “and for those who turn away from crooked ways , shall lead them to walk Yahweh with the workers of iniquity ; peace upon Israel .” In the first segment of words in verse five, David recognizes that evil temptations exist for all human beings on earth. Only those who have married their souls to Yahweh have the power to “turn aside” or “turn away” from the temptations to veer from the straight and narrow path of righteousness and wander aimlessly in “crooked ways.” All will become sinners, due to the inability of a soul to resist temptation alone. The soul must know sin in order to willingly choose to turn away from it.
That then leads to David saying, “shall lead them to walk Yahweh,” which says both the inner voice of Yahweh will “lead them,” while also saying they will become extensions of “Yahweh” who “walk” on the earth. They will “walk” amidst those who are the “workers of iniquity,” not to cast blame on sinners [as would the rulers of Jerusalem who encountered Jesus], but to be examples of righteous living, those who were transformed and then resist evil, regardless of the temptations to wickedness. They would be the truth of “peace” on the earth, as well as the truth of the meaning of the name “Israel” – “He Retains God.”
For this song of praise to end with the word “yiś·rā·’êl,” the tendency is to capitalize it into “Israel” and let readers see glory in the name of a nation of peoples. There can be no truth to the word, other than it to be a divine name given by an angel of Yahweh to one who has defeated the inner man [a soul cannot be feminine, as it has nothing to do with reproductive organs that only pertain to the flesh] in a struggle against “crooked ways” and the path of “righteousness.” Jacob was a sinner. Therefore, the descendants of Jacob the sinner were the “hands of iniquity” whose “scepters” brought ruination upon the people falsely claiming to be “Those Who Retain God.”
None of the descendants of Jacob were given anything [material or spiritual] by Yahweh. They serve Satan; and, that service corrupts their souls. For this reason, the current reproduction of a false nation, led by corrupted souls [Zionists, who are anti-religious], calling itself “Israel” is another curse upon the souls of Jacob’s descendants. All who claim to be Christians also condemn their own souls by supporting the theft of land and the killing of innocent people [bringing the threat of global retribution that will affect all] that goes by the name “Israel.” There is no truth to that name. No nation can have a soul; thus no nation can retain God. Only individuals can make that claim; and then, only those whose souls who have married to Yahweh can make that claim truthfully.
As a companion Psalm to the Proverb reading that paints a picture of Yahweh being a slave to Solomon, who granted him his wish of supreme intelligence, making him be one of the blessed rich people, endowed with the responsibility to institute social programs to care for the poor (while always keeping them poor), the lesson here is to see Solomon as one of those “scepters” who led “wickedly.” The words of Solomon have the touch of Yahweh in them, but only those led by Yahweh can bring that truth to light. David sang this song as a prophecy that his own son would need to pass the test of “iniquity,” in order to prove his “eternal” commitment to Yahweh. Marriage is a total commitment; and, David sang that one’s soul (“heart”) must be fully committed to Yahweh, which is to love God with all one’s heart, all one’s mind, and all one’s soul.