Wisdom

Being and becoming like God, that is the issue. (This is another letter I did not include in my current volume of letters. It needs much more teasing out.)

I will begin with a conundrum, probably the most mysterious poems you will ever read. The first is of David, a psalm. He performs: an oracle of Yahweh to my Lord. Sit at my right hand, till I set your enemies as your footstool. Oracle is a special word - there are only 2 uses of this word in the Psalms, this and psalm 36. Each of them is followed by an acrostic, a signal that the poem is to be celebrated. Psalm 36 begins with An oracle on the transgression of the wicked within my heart, // there is no dread of God before its eyes. 

In the following, Psalm 110, king David, speaks of his Lord, and his Lord is being addressed by Yahweh. What sort of conversation is this?

The prayer is followed by two acrostic psalms, perfectly using every letter of the Hebrew alphabet in its sequence to express a thought.

The first acrostic is about Yahweh, how great are his deeds and that his righteousness stands for ever. The second acrostic is about the happiness of the person who fears Yahweh - and that person's righteousness stands for ever also.

Look at the character of that person as it develops: gracious and compassionate and righteous, a good person, gracious and lending, managing words with judgment, never moved, not in fear of messages of evil, heart prepared, trusting in Yahweh, prodigal of love. You could find the words in the two acrostic poems that match.

The lesson here is the beginning of wisdom. The one who fears Yahweh and delights in his commandments is promised in the poem to be upheld even when things get broken.

	1 Of David a psalm, an oracle of Yahweh to my Lord. Sit at my right hand, till I set your enemies as your footstool.
Yahweh speaks in the third person How does David's Lord rule? The same rule (rdh) as in Genesis 1:28. Different from mwl (govern) in Gen 3	2 Yahweh will send the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule within and among your enemies.
Are we willing in the day of his trouble? David's Lord is young	3 Your people are willing in the day of your weal. In the honour of holiness from the womb of the dawn, yours is the dew of your childhood.
Melchi-zedek = king of righteousness	4 Yahweh has sworn and without a sigh, You are a priest forever, by the word of Melchizedek.
Who is the 'he' in each of these sentences?	5 My Lord is at your right hand. He will wound kings in the day of his anger.
many bodies - dead or alive?	6 He will advocate among the nations, a fullness of bodies. He will wound exceedingly a head on earth.
imbibe = drink a difficult drink rewarded.	7 ♪g He will imbibe from the torrent in the way. Therefore he will lift a head high.
A celebration of Yahweh aleph-bet (a-b)	1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. I will thank Yahweh with a whole heart, Before the council of the upright, and assembly.
gimel-daleth (g-d)	2 ♪g Great are the deeds of Yahweh, Delight of all who search them out.
heh-vav (h-v)	3 Honour and splendour his work, Verily his righteousness stands for ever.
zayin-cheth (z-k)	4 ♪B Zoomed in to memory makes he his wonderful works, How gracious and compassionate is Yahweh.
tet-yod ('t-i)	5 ♪g To those who fear him he gives prey, Yea, he remembers forever his covenant.
caf-lamed (c-l)	6 ♪B Known to his people is the power of his deeds, Letting them have the heritage of the nations.
mem-nun (m-n)	7 Mark the deeds of his hands: truth and judgment, Near and faithful are all his precepts,
samekh-ayin (s-y)	8 Supported for ever, forever, All done in truth and upright.
peh-tsade-qof (p-x-q)	9 Purchase price he has sent to his people, So he commands his covenant forever, Quite holy and fearful his name.
resh-shin-taf (r-s-t)	10 ♪~ Right at the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh, Surely a good insight for all doing them, To stand his praise for ever.
A celebration of the one who fears Yahweh	1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. A happy person fears Yahweh. By his commandments he has much delight.
Success - fruitfulness	2 Grandly valiant in the earth will be his seed. Days of the upright will be blessed.
Riches - respect	3 High value and riches are in his house. Verily his righteousness stands for ever.
Understanding - grace	4 ♪~ Zenith-bearing in the darkness there is light to the upright. He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Reliable - reserved	5 This is a good person, gracious and lending. Yea, he will rein in his words with judgment.
Stable - memorable	6 Causing him never to be moved. Lasting forever in memory is one who is righteous.
Steady - prepared	7 Messages of evil he does not fear. Now his heart is prepared, trusting in Yahweh.
Supported - facing trouble	8 Supported is his heart, he does not fear, Even when it is that he sees his troubles.
Generous - secure - full	9 Prodigal of love, he gives to the-many needy. Standing for ever is his righteousness. Quite full his horn, exalted in glory.
In contrast	10 ♪~ Rebel will see and will grieve. So will his teeth gnash and decay. The desire of rebels will perish.