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1 Give judgment for me, elohim, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; *
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.
2 For you are elohe of my strength; why have you put me from you? *
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?
3 Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, *
and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling;
4 That I may go to the altar elohim, to el of my joy and gladness; *
and on the harp I will give thanks to you, elohim elohay.
5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
6 [5] Put your trust lelohim; *
for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, welohay.
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This is one of two possible psalms of David that will be read aloud in unison or sung by a cantor, if chosen to follow the Old Testament reading from First Kings, on the second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 7), Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. The First Kings reading tells of Elijah asking Yahweh to take his life, where we read: “Then the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for Yahweh elohe of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” If that direction is taken in the readings, then Psalm 42 will also be sung, which says, “My soul is athirst leolohim, athirst for the le-el; when shall I come to appear before the presence elohim?” Those will precede a reading from Galatians, where Paul wrote: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.” All will accompany the Gospel selection from Luke, where we read: “Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.”
It is important to realize how reading two Psalms on the same Sunday is not the normal routine. To have Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 paired together, as the Psalm selections if the Old Testament reading is from First Kings, chapter nineteen, which tells of Elijah asking Yahweh to take his life, it must be seen how Psalm 43 seems like a mirror image of Psalm 42, It is like David added another refrain to the song of praise he had begun earlier. The similarity that is missed when “God” is seen repeated is the root Hebrew for all those mentions actually are some form of “el” (in the singular) and “elohim” (in the plural). In Psalm 42 there are thirteen such usages (in eleven verses), with there being eight in Psalm 43 (in five verses). In Psalm 42 there was one reference to “Yahweh,” but none in Psalm 43. This places focus on the “spirt” sent by Yahweh, which is His “elohim,” or ‘angels in the flesh.’ The dual reading of these Psalms is missed by everyone who recites “God,” without understanding it is “elohim” that led the Church to sing both on the same Sunday.
One more time!
Whereas Psalm 42 began with a lead-in, that it was a “Contemplation of the sons of Korah,” there is no such lead-in to this Psalm 43. Verse one begins by singing, “govern me elohim.” That is followed by a vertical bar (“׀”) that indicates a pause to reflect, before continuing to the lyrics that say, “and contend my strife , from people not pious ; from man treacherous and unrighteous free me .” By beginning with the prayer that asks for “Yahweh’s elohim to govern him,” this is David submitting his soul to a higher spirit within himself, which is the Lord that becomes the resurrection of Adam-Jesus. Without that governance, one’s soul will mix with others that become negative influences, which lead to inner “strife” and sins that satisfy the expectations of others. The last segment of words is David’s soul admitting it is not strong enough to keep himself from becoming “treacherous and unrighteous.” Therefore, David pleas for “elohim governance to escape” from himself.
Verse two then says “for you,” before reaching a reflective pause, indicated by a vertical bar (“׀”). Continuing, David sang, “elohe of my protection how do you reject me ? what darkening do I go in distress of the enemy ?” In this (which is similar to what David sang in verse five of Psalm 42), David questions what he knows his life would be like, without the “protection of his elohim.” David’s soul would be too weak to “reject” any overwhelming spirit of angel. Because not all spirits or angels seek to help human beings, without a Yahweh elohim within his soul, David’s soul would become threatened by the darkness of death [reincarnation], becoming his own worst “enemy.”
In verse three, David sings, “send your light and your truth so they can lead me , let them take me to the mount of your sacredness and to your dwelling place .” This cries out in submission to Yahweh, totally willing to sacrifice everything of self, in order to be led by the “light and the truth” that is metaphor for the soul of Adam-Jesus – the Yahweh elohim. To be taken to the “mount” is to be raised or elevated, so the inner guide transfigures one into a Saint. That is the Baptism by the Spirit that cleanses one of all past transgressions, so one’s soul-body becomes a house of the Lord Jesus. One’s soul-body becomes the tabernacle in which Jesus’ soul becomes the high priest.
Verse four then sings, “and I will go to the altar elohim , to el gladly rejoicing and I will cast on the harp , elohim elohay .” In this one verse is four variations of “elohim.” Following the confession that self-sacrifice allows his soul-body to become a tabernacle, the “altar” within that holy ground is when sacrifices to Yahweh are made. By “going to the altar,” David is saying he is a willing sacrifice, laid out before his elohim – Jesus the high priest. That single “el” being present is reason for great happiness; and, this becomes the inner source of all the psalms penned by David, as the inspiration comes from the elohim that is Jesus. For all who are likewise possessed, the songs sung are for all who share “our elohim” together, in the same divine possession.
In verse five, David sings the same as he sang in Psalm 42, verses five and eleven. This is what makes this Psalm a companion to the other, so both are read as one on this second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 7). David sings, “why are you cast down ׀ my soul ? why you are boisterous above me to wait on elohim for beside I shall cast him ; salvation my face , and my elohim .” As I wrote before (for Psalm 42), “Here, David knows “salvation” (“yeshua”) which he admits has become “my face,” stating a divine possession by Yahweh and His Son. The two are one, as the same – “his” and “mine.” By singing of “my elohim” (“wê·lō·hāy”), David is praising Yahweh for taking possession of his soul and placing his soul in the hands of Jesus – the Yahweh elohim for all saved souls.
Because of this Psalm 43 being another refrain of Psalm 42, the two are read together , in conjunction with the story of Elijah praying to Yahweh to take his life, which sent his soul the Adam-Jesus “Yahweh elohim” to save him. Just as I concluded before, it bears repeating again:
“As a Psalm that can be read on the second Sunday after Pentecost, when a personal ministry has begun in the name of Jesus, this song of praise says David’s soul was likewise led divinely by the same saving soul risen within his soul. There is no way anyone can enter true ministry without a personal “el,” joining the ranks of all Yahweh’s “elohim” on earth. This is the mark of a Satin, although the questions David raised (about being in darkness) says a Saint never knows he or she is that – EVER. Only those left behind in their wake of ministry will call them such a name. David never got the big head [Big Brain Syndrome], like his love child of waywardness (Solomon) sought and was given. Like this song of David sings, one must be zealous for Yahweh, in order to receive His elohim for the purpose of leading one into ministry (after fully submitting oneself to death). Ministry is not taught in seminaries. It is only Jesus who can speak the truth so another’s path will be lit. One cannot fake Jesus. One must be Jesus reborn, so one opens one’s mouth and Jesus speaks the truth through it.”