The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known and most-loved literary works in the world, and it may well be the best poem ever written. It is also a fine example of the power of figurative language: We read deep things into the vision of ourselves as sheep, led to green pastures and good water by a kind shepherd. It’s empowering to feel the confidence to go fearlessly into the valley of the shadow of death, and to feel the love and caring of a table prepared by the Lord and a cup so full it overflows.

What people don’t know, however, is that this language actually has precise internal meanings, and that when we see them there is an even deeper beauty in the poem. That’s because what it actually describes is the path to heaven, and the fierce desire the Lord has to lead us there.

The first step is to let the Lord be our shepherd – to accept His teaching and His leadership. The green pastures and the still waters represent the things He will teach us for the journey. Then He begins working inside is, setting our spiritual lives in order, so that we desire to do what’s good and to love one another. That’s represented by restoring our souls and leading us in the paths of righteousness.

But we will still face challenges. We still live external lives, out in the world, and we are subject to desires that arise in those externals, in our bodily lives. That’s the valley of the shadow of death. But the rod and staff represent truth from the Lord on both external and internal levels, ideas that can defend us against those desires.

And if we keep following, the Lord will prepare a table for us – a place inside us that he can fill with love (the anointing oil) and wisdom (the overflowing cup). Thus transformed, we can enter heaven, with love for others (“goodness”) and love from the Lord (“mercy”) and can love and be loved to eternity.

One of many beautiful things about this is the fact that it is the Lord who really does all the work. In the whole text, the only action taken by the sheep is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Other than that, they follow the Lord, trust the Lord, accept the blessings of the Lord. And that is really true! In external states (in the valley) we might seem to be doing the work ourselves, but internally, spiritually, we simply need to give ourselves to the Lord and let Him bless us.

The underlying idea here is that the Lord created us so that He could love us, in loving us wants us to be happy, knows that our greatest happiness will come from being conjoined to Him in heaven, and Himself wants nothing more than to be conjoined to us. So everything He does, in every moment of every day for every person on the face of the planet, is centered on the goal of getting that person to heaven. He wants each and every one of us in heaven more than we are capable of imagining. We just need to cooperate.

(Verweise: Apocalypse Explained 375 [34], 727 [2]; The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms 273)

660. Verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and shall be glad, signifies delights from infernal love with those who are opposed to the goods and truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "they that dwell upon the earth," as being those who are in the church, here those therein who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, thus who are opposed to its goods and truths; also from the signification of "rejoicing and being glad," as being here the delight of infernal love; for all joy and all gladness is of love, since everyone rejoices and is glad when his love is favored, and when he pursues and obtains what he loves; in a word, all the joy of man proceeds from his love and all the sadness and grief of mind from antagonism to his love.

[2] It is said "rejoice and be glad" because of the marriage of good and truth; for "joy" is predicated of good because it relates to love, for it belongs especially to the heart and will, and "gladness" is predicated of truth, because it relates to the love of truth, for it belongs especially to the mind and its thought; therefore we speak of "joy of heart" and "gladness of mind." Everywhere in the Word there are two expressions, one of which has reference to good and the other to truth, and this because it is the conjunction of good and truth that makes both heaven and the church; therefore both heaven and the church are compared to a marriage, for the reason that the Lord is called "Bridegroom" and "Husband," and heaven and the church are called "bride" and "wife." Everyone, therefore, who is not in that marriage is not an angel of heaven nor a man of the church; and the reason is that there is no good with anyone unless it is formed by truths, nor is there truth with anyone unless it is made living by good; for every truth is a form of good, and all good is the being [esse] of truth, and as one is not possible without the other it follows that there must needs be a marriage of good and truth with the man of the church as well as with an angel of heaven. Moreover, all intelligence and wisdom are from that marriage, for from it truths and goods are continually born, by which the understanding and will are formed.

[3] This has been said that it may be known why "to rejoice" and "to be glad" are both mentioned, namely, because "to rejoice" is predicated of good and its love or affection, and "to be glad" is predicated of truth and its love or affection. This is the case in many other passages in the Word, as in the following:

The heavens shall be glad and the earth shall rejoice (Psalms 96:11).

Let all that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee (Psalms 40:16; 70:4).

The righteous shall be glad and exult before God, and shall rejoice in gladness (Psalms 68:3).

That we may rejoice all our days, make us glad according to the days in which Thou hast afflicted us (Psalms 90:14, 15).

Be glad in Jerusalem and exult in her, all ye that love her, rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her (Isaiah 66:10).

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom (Lamentations 4:21).

Behold joy and gladness, slaying the ox (Isaiah 22:13).

They shall obtain joy and gladness, sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).

Joy and gladness shall be found in Zion, confession and the voice of singing (Isaiah 51:3).

They shall make ¹ me to hear joy and gladness (Psalms 51:8).

Joy and gladness are cut off from the house of our God (Joel 1:16).

The fast of the tenth month shall be to the house of Judah for joy and for gladness (Zechariah 8:19).

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride (Jeremiah 7:34; 25:10; 33:11).

[4] In place of joy exultation is also mentioned, because exultation, like joy, is predicated of good, because it relates to love, to the heart, and to the will; as in the following passages:

Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad (Psalms 14:7; 53:6).

I exult and am glad in Thy kindness (Psalms 31:7).

Be glad in Jehovah, and exult, ye righteous (Psalms 32:11).

Mount Zion shall be glad, and the daughters of Judah shall exult (Psalms 48:11).

Let all that trust in Thee be glad, and let them that love Thy name exult in Thee (Psalms 5:11).

This is the day that Jehovah hath made, let us exult and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24).

Let us exult and be glad in His salvation (Isaiah 25:9).

Be ye glad and exult forever in the things which I create (Isaiah 65:18).

Exult and be glad that Jehovah hath magnified in doing (Joel 2:21).

Exult, ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God (Joel 2:23; Habakkuk 3:18).

Be glad and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:14).

Gladness and exultation are taken away from Carmel (Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 48:33).

The angel said unto Zacharias, Thou shalt have gladness and exultation, and many shall rejoice at His birth (Luke 1:14).

In all these passages, "exultation" signifies delight from love and from the affection of good, and "gladness" signifies pleasure from the love and affection of truth.

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