Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Psalms 122
Metaphysically Interpreting Psalms 122:1-9
122:1I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.
122:2Our feet are standing
Within thy gates, O Jerusalem,122:3Jerusalem, that art builded
As a city that is compact together;
122:4Whither the tribes go up,
even the tribes of Jehovah,
For an ordinance for Israel,
To give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.
122:5For there are set thrones for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
They shall prosper that love thee.
122:7Peace be within thy walls,
And prosperity within thy palaces.
122:8For my brethren and companions' sakes,
I will now say, Peace be within thee.
122:9For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God
I will seek thy good.
December 29, 1929: Psalms 122:1-9
In becoming a fully rounded, Christ-like individual, man advances along two paths. One path concerns his own individual overcoming. He must learn to know God for himself, and develop or grow into, the Christ characteristics in the way that is natural, or peculiar to him. “What is that to thee? Follow thou me,” must be his attitude in respect to any tendency to copy after others, to influence or be influenced unduly by them, to be overly curious about them, or to stumble because of them. As a distinct son of God and manifestation of the Father, he naturally will be, to a certain extent at least, original in his expression
The other path, and the one that this lesson deals with especially, is man's relation to his fellows. While every individual is a distinct being and must develop in his own God-given way, each one is, in Truth, a part of a great whole, at one with all other persons, and, because of this union with all, he must develop with the race. He must learn how to live with others and grow with them; he must associate with others, for his own good as well as theirs. Because of this necessity men have builded churches, wherein they can gather and worship God together.
As we thus become so firmly established in our consciousness of Truth that we can associate with others, yet remain unswayed by their human, changeable thoughts and emotions, we become great powers for good in helping to establish the race thought in Truth. Our presence uplifts and steadies others in the crowd in which we mingle. “Ye are the salt of the earth . . . . Ye are the light of the world.”
In its inner meaning, we, as individuals, are “the house of Jehovah.” When “our feet are standing within thy gates, O Jerusalem,” we are positive in the true understanding, and are watchfully guarding the door of our consciousness, in order that we may eliminate all error and welcome that which is constructive and true. The “tribes” are our faculties, and “Israel” signifies our spiritual thoughts. “Thrones” bespeak dominion within ourselves, and “Judgment” is symbolical of adjustment, a discerning and a putting away of error and an establishment of Truth. “The house of David” and “Jerusalem” signify a consciousness of love and peace. “A city that is compact together” bespeaks unity, and onensss of thought and purpose. When love, peace, and unity prevail, prosperity and blessings in abundance are the natural outcome.
July 10, 1949: Psalms 122:1-9
What is the “house of Jehovah”? It is the consciousness of God within us. We should always be glad to enter into it either in solitude or in company with others, whose thought is in harmony with our own.
What is the message for us in the verse “Our feet are standing Within thy gates, 0 Jerusalem”? The name Jerusalem means “habitation of peace,” and when our heart is set on realizing peace and we stand firm in our desire to live at peace and promote the cause of peace on earth, our thoughts form an aggregate in our mind that is comparable to the population of a city. We are within the gates of peace, the state of mind where a consciousness of God rules.
Why is Jerusalem described as “a city that is compact together”? Because in God consciousness and the peace that it insures there is no possible opening left unguarded by which discord or disruption may enter. Our peace is therefore secure, unbroken, and unbreakable.
What is our part in realizing perfect peace? To pray for peace as well as to work for it. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem . . . Peace be Within thy walls.” As we pray for peace we hold ourselves in the consciousness of divine love and wisdom, and we know peace in our own life as the outcome of the disinterested love and kindness that we ourselves build up as we express these things to others and to the world.
Is the giving of thanks “unto the name of Jehovah” what the Psalmist calls “an ordinance for Israel”? Yes, the giving of thanks to God is included in the divine law of our well-being. Without giving thanks and praise we cannot be our real self in a true sense.
What are “the thrones of the house of David”? They are the ruling centers of love. In its highest reaches love as a spiritual attribute is the idea of perfect unity in all existence. The heart or emotional nature (represented by David) rather than the head or will (represented by Saul) is destined to control life. The house of David is the consciousness of love, and the thrones represent the highest realization of love of which men are capable.
Should we search for peace for ourselves alone, or should we include others? We should include others. We need others as much as they need us, for our association together brings us poise, strength, unselfishness, disinterestedness, broad-mindedness, and other traits that are developed best in company with others.
[Transcriber's note: In the original PDF, a lesson from Psalm 134 was placed here and a lesson from this psalm was placed with Psalm 134. So I relabeled them and placed them in proper order here.]
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-02-2013
