323. Having every one harps, signifies confession from spiritual truths. This is evident from the signification of a "harp," as being confession from spiritual truths. This is signified by "harps," because the harp was a stringed instrument, and by such instruments spiritual things, or those that are of truth, are signified, while wind instruments signify celestial things, or those that are of good. Such things are signified by musical instruments because of their sounds, for sound corresponds to the affections; moreover in heaven affections are perceived by sounds; and because there are various affections, and various sounds are produced by musical instruments, therefore these instruments, by correspondence and consequent agreement, signify affections. In general, stringed instruments signify such things as belong to the affections of truth, and wind instruments such as belong to the affections of good; or, what is the same, some instruments belong to the spiritual class, and some to the celestial class. That sounds correspond to the affections has been made evident to me by much experience, so also musical tones; also that angels are affected in accordance with sounds and their variations; but to recite all such experience would occupy too much space. I will mention only, what is a matter of general observation, that discrete sounds excite the affections of truth, that is, those are affected by them who are in the affections of truth; while continuous sounds excite the affections of good, that is, those are affected by them who are in the affections of good. Whether you say the affections of truth or things spiritual, it is the same, or whether you say the affections of good or things celestial, it is the same. (But these things can be better comprehended from what has been related from experience respecting sounds and their correspondence with affections, in the work on Heaven and Hell 241.)

From this it can now be seen why in the Word, and especially in David, so many kinds of musical instruments are mentioned, as psalteries, harps, flutes, cymbals, timbrels, horns, organs, and others, namely, that it is because of their correspondence with the affections, and at the same time with articulations that are expressions containing things, and flowing from them.

[2] That harps especially signify the affections of truth because they excite such affections, consequently that they also signify confession made from spiritual truths with a cheerful heart, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish, all the glad of heart shall sigh. The joy of timbrels shall cease, the noise of the merry shall leave off; the joy of the harp shall cease. They shall not drink wine with a song (Isaiah 24:7-9).

This treats of the vastation of the spiritual church, that is, of the good and truth thereof. Spiritual good, which is about to cease, is signified by "the new wine shall mourn," and "the joy of timbrels shall cease;" and that its truth is about to cease is signified by "the vine shall languish," and "the joy of the harp shall cease;" for "new wine" signifies spiritual good, and its joy is signified by the "timbrel;" and the "vine" signifies spiritual truth, and its joy is signified by the "harp." Since it is the affection of these that is about to cease, it is said, "all the glad of heart shall sigh," and "the noise of the merry shall leave off;" "gladness" and "mirth" in the Word signifying spiritual gladness and mirth, all of which are from the affections of truth and good. It is added, "they shall not drink wine with a song," because "song" signifies the testification of gladness from the affection of truth, and "wine" signifies truth.

[3] In David:

Confess unto Jehovah with the harp; sing psalms unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play well with a loud noise. For the word of Jehovah is right; and His work is done in truth (Psalms 33:2-4).

As a "harp" signifies confession from spiritual truths, it is said, "confess unto Jehovah with the harp;" "a psaltery of ten strings" signifies the corresponding spiritual good; therefore it is said, "sing psalms unto Him upon a psaltery of ten strings;" and for the same reason also it is said, "for the word of Jehovah is right, and all His work is done in truth;" "the word of Jehovah is right" signifying the truth of good; "His work is done in truth" signifying the good of truth; the truth of good is the truth that proceeds from good, and the good of truth is the good which is produced by truth.

[4] In the same:

Send Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy tabernacles, that I may confess unto Thee upon the harp, O God, my God (Psalms 43:3-4);

the "harp" evidently signifying confession from spiritual truths, for it is said "I will confess unto Thee with the harp, O God, my God;" and it is also said before, "send Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me."

[5] In the same:

I will confess unto Thee with the instrument of psaltery, even Thy truth, O my God; unto Thee will I sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel (Psalms 71:22).

As the "psaltery" signifies spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, and the "harp" spiritual truth, that is, the truth of good, and confession is made from each, it is said, "I will confess unto Thee with the instrument of psaltery; unto Thee will I sing with the harp."

[6] In the same:

I will sing, and I will sing psalms. Arouse me, ¹ my glory, arouse me, psaltery and harp. I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, among the nations, I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples (Psalms 57:7-9; 108:1-3).

Confession and glorification from the good of truth or from spiritual good, and from truth of good or from spiritual truth, are expressed in these several things, the good of truth by "singing," "being aroused by the psaltery," and "confessing among the nations;" and the truth of good by "singing psalms," "being aroused by the harp," and "singing psalms among the peoples;" for "nations" in the Word mean those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truth; here those in spiritual truth. It is so said because where good is spoken of, in the Word, truth also is spoken of, and this because of the marriage of these in every particular of the Word (See above, n. 238 end, 288).

[7] In the same:

Answer unto Jehovah by confession; sing psalms with the harp unto our God (Psalms 147:7).

Here also confession from spiritual good and from spiritual truth is expressed by "answer unto Jehovah by confession," and "sing psalms with the harp unto our God;" from spiritual good by "answer unto Jehovah;" and from spiritual truth by "sing psalms with the harp unto God;" "Jehovah" being used where good is treated of, and "God" where truth is treated of (See Arcana Coelestia n. 709, 732, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4287, 4402, 7010, 9167).

[8] In Ezekiel:

I will cause the noise of the songs to cease; and the voice of thy harps shall be no more heard; I will give thee to the parchedness of the cliff (Ezekiel 26:13-14).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of good and truth. Its vastation is described by these words; the vastation in respect to the knowledges of good by "I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease;" and the vastation in respect to the knowledges of truth by "the voice of harps shall be no more heard;" desolation of all truth by "I will give thee to the parchedness of the cliff;" "cliff" signifying truth, and its "parchedness" desolation.

[9] In David:

Make a loud noise unto Jehovah, all the earth; break forth, shout for joy, and sing psalms. Sing psalms unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and the sound of a cornet, make a loud noise before the King, Jehovah (Psalms 98:4-6).

The various kinds of affections from which the Lord is confessed and glorified are here expressed by various kinds of sounds and instruments; the various kinds of sounds in "making a loud noise," "breaking forth," "shouting for joy," and "singing psalms," and the various kinds of instruments, by "harps," "trumpets," and "cornets;" but to explain the signification of the particulars is not in place here, but only what relates to the harp. "To sing unto Jehovah with the harp, with the harp and the voice of a psalm," signifies confession from the affection of spiritual good and truth; for every affection, since it is from love, when it falls into sound, produces a sound in accord with itself; consequently from the sound that is in the speech, and in which, as it were, the expressions of speech flow, the affection of the other is heard, and thus becomes known to his companion; this is manifestly so in the spiritual world, where all sounds of speech make manifest the affections.

[10] So elsewhere in David, as the following:

Shout for joy unto God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob. Lift up the psalm and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp, with the psaltery. Blow the cornet at the new moon (Psalms 81:1-3).

It is good to confess unto Jehovah, and to sing psalms unto Thy name, O Most High; with an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; and with resounding music on the harp (Psalms 92:1-3).

Let the sons of Zion exult in their King; let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing psalms unto Him with the timbrel and harp (Psalms 149:2-3).

Praise God with the sound of the cornet; praise Him with the psaltery and harp; praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and organ. Praise Him with cymbals of soft sound; praise Him with cymbals of loud sound (Psalms 150:3-5).

[11] Because musical instruments and also dances signify varieties of joy and gladness that spring from the affections, as well as the affections themselves of the mind which their sounds excite, both singly and in combination, therefore:

David and the whole house of Israel played before Jehovah upon wooden instruments of every kind, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels; and on sistra, and on cymbals (2 Samuel 6:5).

[12] Because the "harp" signifies confession from spiritual truths, and spiritual truths are those by which angels who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are affected, and which disperse the falsities of evil, and with these the spirits themselves who are in them, so:

When the evil spirit was upon Saul, David took a harp and played with his hand; and so rest was given to Saul, and the evil spirit departed from him (1 Samuel 16:23).

This was done because kings represented the Lord in respect to the spiritual kingdom, and therefore signified spiritual truths (See above, n. 31); but Saul then represented the falsities that are opposed to these truths; and these were dispersed by the sound of the harp, because the "harp" signified the spiritual affection of truth. This then took place because with the sons of Israel all things were representative and thus significative; it is otherwise at this day. From the passages here quoted it can be seen what the "harp" signifies, also in other places (as Isaiah 30:31, 32; Psalms 49:3, 4; 137:1, 2; 1 Samuel 10:5; Revelation 14:2; 18:22; Job 30:31).

[13] As most things in the Word have also a contrary meaning, so do musical instruments, in which sense they signify varieties of gladness and joy that spring from the affections of falsity and evil; thus the "harp" signifies the confession of falsity and the consequent exultation over the destruction of truth. As in Isaiah:

At the end of seventy years the song of Tyre shall be even as the song of a harlot; take a harp, walk in the city, thou harlot delivered over to forgetfulness; play elegantly, multiply the song (Isaiah 23:15-16).

"Tyre" signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of spiritual truth and good (as was said above), here the church in which these are falsified; "harlot" signifies the falsification of truth (See above, n. 141); and "to take a harp, walk in the city," "play elegantly, and multiply the song," signifies the exultation and boasting of falsity over the destruction of truth.

[14] In the same:

Woe to them that rise early in the morning that they may follow strong drink; to them that tarry until twilight till the wine inflame them. And the harp and the psaltery and the timbrel and the pipe and wine are at their feasts; but they do not look upon the work of Jehovah, and they see not the working of His hands (Isaiah 5:11-12).

Here "harp," "psaltery," "timbrel," "pipe," and also "wine," have the contrary meaning, in which they signify exultation and boastings from the falsities of evil. Such is evidently the meaning, for it is said, "Woe to them; they do not look upon the work of Jehovah, and they see not the working of His hands."

Poznámky pod čarou:

2343. 'And they ate' means making one's own. This is clear from the meaning of 'eating' as being communicated and joined together, thus being made one's own, dealt with already in 2187. What has been stated and explained so far makes clear how the contents of the previous and the present verses are arranged and link together in the internal sense - from the fact that 'the angels' means the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding, 'turning aside to him' means staying with, 'coming to his house' being confirmed in good, 'making a feast' dwelling together, 'baking unleavened bread' being purified, and 'eating' taking into oneself and making one's own. It shows the nature of the train of thought in the internal sense, though nothing at all of that sense is apparent in the historical sense.

[2] Such is the order and the train of thought that exists with all the individual parts of the Word. But the nature of that actual train of thought cannot begin to reveal itself when each word is explained separately; for in that case each is seen in isolation from the rest and the continuity of meaning is lost. It reveals itself when all the separate details are seen together within one complete idea, or are perceived as one complete mental picture, as is done by those who have the internal sense and who at the same time dwell in heavenly light from the Lord. Within these words [used here in Genesis] such people are given to see the entire process of the reformation and regeneration of those who become members of the Church, represented here by Lot. That is to say, they first of all perceive some degree of temptation, but when they persevere and overcome the Lord stays with them, and confirms them in good, brings them to Himself into His kingdom, and dwells together with them, and there purifies and perfects them, at the same time granting them as their own things that are good and happy. All this He accomplishes by means of His Divine Human and His Holy proceeding.

[3] Within the Church it is indeed well known that all regeneration or new life, and therefore salvation, comes from the Lord alone, but few believe it. The reason they do not believe it is that the good of charity does not exist in them. It is as impossible for those in whom that good does not exist to believe it as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle; for the good of charity is the very seed-bed of faith. Truth and good agree together, but truth and evil never do. They have contrary natures and turn away from each other. Insofar therefore as someone is moved by good, he can be governed by truth, that is, insofar as charity exists with him faith is able to, especially the most fundamental matter of faith that all salvation comes from the Lord.

[4] That this is the most fundamental matter of faith is clear from many places in the Word, as in John,

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.

In the same gospel,

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him. John 3:36.

In the same gospel,

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom the Father has sent. John 6:29.

In the same gospel,

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40.

In the same gospel,

Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. John 8:24.

In the same gospel,

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he die, yet will he live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. John 11:25-26.

[5] Nobody is able to believe in the Lord unless he is governed by good, that is, no one can possess faith unless he has charity. This too is clear in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.

And in the same gospel,

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in Me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered. As the Father has loved Me so I have loved you; abide in My love. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:5-6, 9, 12.

[6] From all these quotations it becomes clear that love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour constitute the life of faith. But that people who are immersed in evil, that is, who lead a life of evil, cannot possibly believe that all salvation comes from the Lord has become clear to me from those who have entered the next life from the Christian world; and also from people who during their lifetime have confessed with their lips the established teaching of faith, and indeed have taught it themselves, that without the Lord there is no salvation, but who, for all that, have led a life of evil. At the very mention of the Lord's name these people have filled the atmosphere around them entirely with objections. For in the next life solely that which people are thinking is perceived and sends out from itself a sphere, in which the nature of the faith possessed by those people reveals itself, see 1394.

[7] At the mere mention of love or charity among these people I perceived emanating from them something that was so to speak full of darkness and at the same time dust-filled. The product of some filthy love, it was by nature such that it obliterated, stifled, and corrupted all feeling of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbour. Such is the faith at the present day, which, they say, saves without the goods that flow from charity.

[8] The same people were also asked what faith they had since it was not the faith they had professed during their lifetime. Since in the next life nobody can conceal what he actually thinks, they said that they believed in God the Creator of all things. They were examined however as to whether this was really so, and it was discovered that they did not believe in any God at all but thought that all things were the product of natural forces, and all that has been said about eternal life is nonsense. Such is the faith of everyone inside the Church who does not believe in the Lord but says that he believes in God the Creator of all things. For truth cannot flow in from any other source than the Lord, and truth cannot be sown in anything other than good which is derived from the Lord.

[9] That the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding are together the channel and the source of life and salvation is well recognized from the words of the Holy Supper, 'This is My body, This is My blood', which is the Lord's Divine Human. And it is clear that this is the source of everything holy. Whether we speak of the Divine Human, or His Body, or Flesh, or Bread, or Divine Love, it amounts to the same thing; for the Lord's Divine Human is pure Love, and the Holy [proceeding] consists in love alone, while the Holy that constitutes faith is derived from this.