9304. 'To keep you safe on the way' means His providence and protection from falsities arising from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'keeping safe', when it refers to the Lord, as providence, for providence consists in making provision for something and looking towards it, thus in leading towards good, and in protecting from evil (for the Lord provides what is good but foresees what is evil, 6489, and since He foresees what is evil He also protects a person from it, otherwise he could not be provided with good); and from the meaning of 'the way' as truth, dealt with in 627, 2333, 3477, in this instance falsity as well since the words 'keep safe' are used. He who leads in the way of truth also protects from falsity, because falsity molests and attacks truth. The reason why falsity arising from evil is meant is that this falsity engages in molestation and mounts attacks, but not falsity which does not arise from evil, such as exists with those governed by good. Regarding this falsity, as well as falsity arising from evil, see 2243, 2408, 2863, 4736, 4822, 6359, 7272, 7437, 7574, 7577, 8051, 8137, 8149, 8298, 8311, 8318 (end), 9258, 9298.

6359. 'And their wrath, for it is hard' means an aversion to the truth that is derived from good - a firm and determined aversion. This is clear from the meaning of 'wrath' as an aversion to truth - 'wrath' is used in reference to truth and 'anger' to good, see 3614; and from the meaning of 'hard' as firm and determined. For when a false idea has been accepted so firmly that a person is convinced it is right it is then hard and fast. I have been allowed from experience to know of such hardness, for among spirits and angels truth from good looks like and presents itself as something soft, whereas falsity from evil does so as something hard, becoming ever harder as such falsity from evil becomes more firmly accepted. Once firm proof based on much evidence has led to utter conviction that it is right, that hardness among them seems to be like the hardness of a bone. Such hardness is also like the hardness of an object in the world, in that rays of light rebound from it. In the same way when the light of heaven flowing from the Lord falls on the hardness that falsity from evil produces, it rebounds; but when on the other hand the light of heaven flowing from the Lord falls on the softness that truth from good produces, it is taken in.