Prayer to the Gnomes
| Line | Comments |
|---|
| O Invisible King, Who, |
Invisible refers to the spiritual nature of Earth. King refers to royalty and divine investment. |
| taking the Earth for Foundation, |
Not sure if this is the element or planet. In any case they are the basis of reality. |
| didst hollow its depths to fill them with Thy Almighty Power. |
This implies that all parts of Earth, planet or element, has Ghob's power. |
| Thou Whose Name shaketh the Arches of the World, |
Metaphor of Ghob's abilities. Name and shaking alludes to vibration. Arches of the World refers to the pillars that support the Earth in the Genesis account. |
| Thou who causest the Seven Metals to flow |
This refers the planetary metals, so the Earth is associated with the Heavens. |
| in the veins of the rocks, |
This suggests that the metals and Earth are alive and moving. |
| King of the Seven Lights, |
Not sure what this is a reference too aside the actual physical planets. |
| Rewarder of the subterranean Workers, |
Ghob pays the Gnomes for their work. Alludes to not "defrauding laborers of their wages" one of the sins that "cry to heaven for vengeance". See James 5:4 for the source. (The other three are willful murder, sodomy, and oppressing the poor.) |
| lead us into the desirable Air |
Not sure if this is a plea to keep Earth balanced in the aura of the magician since Man's realm is the Sky or Air, or if to lead the magician to the Theocratis grade. |
| and into the Realm of Splendor. |
Splendor refers to Hod, but also Malkuth since it is a Kingdom. |
| We watch and we labour unceasingly, |
Watch refers to sight, labor to physical work. |
| we seek and we hope, |
Seek refers to going beyond the current state. Hope refers to belive in obtaining it. |
| by the twelve stones of the Holy City, |
The Holy City is Jerusalem and the twelve stones are the ones on the breast of the High Priest, one for each Tribe of Israel. |
| by the buried talisman, |
Again this alludes to power being within Earth. Not sure if talisman are a specific reference. |
| by the Axis of the Lodestone which passes through the centre of the Earth-- |
This is the magnetic field of the planet Earth. Since it is an innate part of it refers to stability. |
| O Lord, O Lord, O Lord! |
Adoration, though Lord refers to Adonai, the Deum name for Earth or Fire depending of the level. |
| Have pity upon those who suffer. |
Refers again to Ghob not abusing work or physicality. |
| Expand our hearts, |
Plea against avarice. |
| unbind and upraise our minds, |
Plea against slavery and drudgery of the mind. |
| enlarge our natures. |
Another reference to progressing and growth. |
| O Stability and Motion! |
Paradoxical traits of Earth. It is the most stable, yet always moving. The Earth always rotates and revolves in space. Rocks change slowly to sedimentary, violently to igneous, and both as metamorphic; to to mention the cycle of growth and decay of life and soil. |
| O Darkness veiled in Brilliance! |
Another reference to the spiritual nature of Earth. |
| O Day clothed in Night! |
Ditto. |
| O Master who never dost without the wages of Thy Workmen! |
Another reference to just payment for work. |
| O Silver Whiteness-- |
The purest feminine metal of alchemy. Note that in the GD alchemy is categorized as an Earthy operation. |
| O Golden Splendor! |
The purest masculine metal of alchemy. |
| O Crown of Living and Harmonious Diamond! |
This is the trinitarian precious item. Often used in fairy tales such as the "Torn and Tattered Shoes" by the brothers Grimm. Also note that its alive and spiritual again. Finally Graphite and Diamond are the only elements of pure Carbon. There differencing being their structures. |
| Thou who waerest the Heavens on Thy Finger like a ring of Sapphire! |
Another connection to the Air and realms above the Earth. Also sapphire is blue like the Sky. |
| Thou Who hidest beneath the Earth in the Kingdom of the Gems, the marvelous Seed of the Stars! |
Gems refer to power and talismans again. Seeds of stars refers to the Seven Metals which in alchemy can grow other metals. The stars here being the planets, though this is odd since Planets are distinct from Stars in that they move. Yet again another reference to motion. |
| Live, reign, and be Thou the Eternal Dispenser of the Treasures |
Simple praise summarizing the traits and ideas of Ghob: live, divine, just work and payment. |
| whereof Thou has made us the Wardens. |
We as humans are in charge of these things. So anything awry with all these ideas are our responsibilities. |