Arcana Coelestia #4696
4696. 'And behold, the sun and the moon' means natural good and natural truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the sun' as celestial good, dealt with in 1529, 1530, 2120, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060; and from the meaning of 'the moon' as spiritual good, which is truth, dealt with in 1529, 1530, 2495. In the highest sense 'the sun' means the Lord because He is seen as the sun by those in heaven who are governed by celestial love, and in the highest sense 'the moon' too means the Lord because He is seen as the moon by those in heaven who are governed by spiritual love. Also He is the source of every ray of light in heaven. Consequently the light received from the sun there is the celestial form of love, which is good, and the light received from the moon there is the spiritual form of love, which is truth. Here therefore 'the sun' means natural good and 'the moon' natural truth, since these two sources of light are used to refer to Jacob and Leah (as is evident from verse 10, where Jacob says, 'Shall we indeed come - I and your mother, and your brothers - to bow down to you to the earth?') and 'Jacob' represents natural good and 'Leah' natural truth, as shown already in various places. The Divine which comes from the Lord is in the highest sense the Divine within Him, but in the relative sense is the Divine going forth from Him. The Divine good received from Him is that which is called celestial, and the Divine truth received from Him is that which is referred to as spiritual. When the rational receives these it is in this case the good and truth of the rational that are meant; but when the natural receives them it is the good and truth of the natural that are meant. Here the good and truth of the natural are meant because the words used refer to Jacob and Leah.
Psalms 104
1
Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
2
He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
3
He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind.
4
He makes his messengers winds; his servants flames of fire.
5
He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.
6
You covered it with the deep as with a cloak. The waters stood above the mountains.
7
At your rebuke they fled. At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.
8
The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.
9
You have set a boundary that they may not pass over; that they don't turn again to cover the earth.
10
He sends forth springs into the valleys. They run among the mountains.
11
They give drink to every animal of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12
The birds of the sky nest by them. They sing among the branches.
13
He waters the mountains from his rooms. The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.
14
He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food out of the earth:
15
wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man's heart.
16
Yahweh's trees are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;
17
where the birds make their nests. The stork makes its home in the fir trees.
18
The high mountains are for the wild goats. The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19
He appointed the moon for seasons. The sun knows when to set.
20
You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
21
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
22
The sun rises, and they steal away, and lay down in their dens.
23
Man goes forth to his work, to his labor until the evening.
24
Yahweh, how many are your works! In wisdom have you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
25
There is the sea, great and wide, in which are innumerable living things, both small and large animals.
26
There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
27
These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season.
28
You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
29
You hide your face: they are troubled; you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust.
30
You send forth your Spirit: they are created. You renew the face of the ground.
31
Let the glory of Yahweh endure forever. Let Yahweh rejoice in his works.
32
He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33
I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34
Let your meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in Yahweh.
35
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless Yahweh, my soul. Praise Yah!
