Pahaliah: angel no. 20, regency dates, psalm and symbolism

Who is Pahaliah?

Pahaliah is the twentieth angel on the list, of the Choir of Thrones. His name, “God the redeemer”, refers to the idea of ransom: being set free from what holds us back. The esoteric tradition makes him the angel of vocation, of the search for meaning and of the spiritual life.

To understand this name, one must go back to Exodus: by reading verses 14:19 to 14:21 (72 letters each) according to a precise rule, one extracts 72 groups of three letters, among them פהל (pé-hé-lamed) for this angel. With the ending -iah, which recalls the divine name Yah, this gives Pahaliah, which French esoteric literature translates as “God the redeemer”. This meaning is an interpretation, not the translation of a common Hebrew word.

This page is part of our guide to the 72 angels. The correspondences given here (dates, hour, choir, psalm) are presented according to the Kabbalistic and esoteric tradition: they are symbolic reference points, which everyone is free to accept or not. The historical background is detailed in the introduction to the 72 angels.

Pahaliah’s reference points

Here are Pahaliah’s reference points, as the tradition gives them.

From one source to another, the dates shift a little. Our page applies the rule of five days per angel, one after the other, starting on March 21 in a 365-day year; some sites prefer to align the periods with the signs, hence possible differences. The quinary is the 5-degree slice of the zodiac linked to this angel; it does not exactly match the actual position of the Sun on these dates. The decan (10 degrees) and its planet come from classical astrology: see the page on the sign of Cancer and the profile of the associated planet.

Pahaliah’s psalm

The associated psalm is Psalm 120, verse 2: “Lord, deliver my soul from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue!” (Vulgate: Psalm 119). It is the first of the fifteen “songs of ascents” (Psalms 120 to 134), songs of pilgrims who climbed to Jerusalem for the great feasts. The one singing is far from home, “in Meshech”, among people who do not seek peace. The theme of the climb and the exile matches the idea of vocation, which is a path toward a place that feels right. As for “redeemer”, it fits with the plea to be set free.

Traditional symbolism

Pahaliah evokes the search for one’s way: that rare and precious feeling of belonging. Esoteric authors attribute to him spiritual vocation and the quest for meaning. His theme is a path more than a result: one takes it, one gets lost, one takes it up again.

• Vocation: looking for what gives a sense of belonging
• Meaning: asking why we do what we do
• Deliverance: freeing oneself from what holds us back, like deceitful words

These attributions come from the esoteric literature of the 19th and 20th centuries; they differ from one author to another and rest on no established ancient text. They are themes for reflection, never guaranteed effects.

Pahaliah’s season and hour

Pahaliah’s period begins with Saint John’s Day, on June 24, the feast of the birth of John the Baptist. It is one of the rare saints’ feasts that celebrate a birth, six months before Christmas. In France, the Saint John’s fires are heirs of solstice festivals, and in Quebec Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is the national holiday. This idea of a mission being born sheds light on the theme of vocation.

In the division of the day into 72 slices of 20 minutes, Pahaliah occupies the interval from 6:20 to 6:40 a.m. According to the tradition, this is the “angel of the hour” for people born at that moment. Legal time, as written on the birth certificate, is the most commonly used; solar time is sometimes preferred, and the sources do not agree. See the calculation page.

A gentle practice with Pahaliah

Note three moments when you truly felt you were in the right place, then identify what they have in common: a place, an activity, a type of people. Choose a very small step toward that: a trial class, a meeting, a reading. A walk uphill, even a short one, can serve as a symbolic ritual: you climb with one question in mind.

A few questions to ask yourself, in writing or aloud:

• When did I truly feel I was in the right place?
• What would I do even without being paid or applauded?
• What simple first step can I take toward what matters to me?

These exercises belong to personal reflection and do not replace medical advice or psychological support.

What belongs to tradition, and its limits

Keep in mind that the 72 angels form an esoteric system from the Renaissance, popularised in France in the 19th century, which the Catholic Church does not recognise (it names only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael). The dates, hours and psalms are conventions, and they vary. “Redemption” is a religious word, which should not be taken as a promise of success. The vocation the tradition speaks of is not career guidance: for a career choice, a careers adviser can help you.

To put this guide in perspective, see also the guide to the archangels and the page on angel oracles.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the 72 guardian angels.