Arcana Coelestia # 6368
6368. 'From the plunder you have gone up, my son means that through the celestial the Lord accomplishes the deliverance of many from hell. This is clear from the meaning of 'going up from the plunder' as deliverance from hell, dealt with below; and from the representation of Judah, to whom 'my son' refers here, as the Divine celestial, dealt with in 6363. The reason 'going up from the plunder' means deliverance from hell is that left to himself a person is in hell, for his will and thought, when they spring wholly from himself, are nothing but evil and derivative falsity, which tie him so firmly to hell that he cannot be torn away except by force. This tearing away and deliverance is what is called 'the plunder'; and because that is effected by the power of the Lord's Divine Good, it is said that through the celestial the Lord accomplishes the deliverance of many from hell.
[2] But it should be recognized that no one can be torn away and delivered from hell unless during his lifetime spiritual good, that is, charity that comes through faith, has existed in him; for unless that good coming through faith has been present in him, there is nothing that can receive the good which flows in from the Lord. Instead that good from Him flows straight through, without being able to become fixed anywhere. Consequently those lacking spiritual good cannot be torn away and delivered from hell. For all the states that a person has attained during his lifetime remain with him in the next life and are developed more fully. Good states with the good remain and are filled out with good, and by means of them those people are raised into heaven; and evil states with the evil remain and are filled with evil, and by means of them these people sink down into hell. This is what is meant by the saying that as a person dies, so he remains. From this it is evident who those people are who can be delivered from hell by the Lord through the Divine celestial.
Psalms 103
1
Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, Praise his holy name!
2
Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don't forget all his benefits;
3
who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;
4
who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
5
who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6
Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.
7
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.
8
Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
9
He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.
10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.
11
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
12
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13
Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
14
For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
15
As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.
17
But Yahweh's loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children's children;
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to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.
19
Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
20
Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.
21
Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
22
Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!
