8261. Then sang Moses and the sons of Israel this song to Jehovah. That this signifies the glorification of the Lord by those who are of the spiritual church on account of liberation, is evident from the signification of “singing a song,” as being a glorification (of which below); that it denotes the glorification of the Lord is because by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the Lord (see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6280, 6281, 6905, 6945, 6956); and from the representation of Moses and the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church; for Moses together with the people represent that church, Moses its head, because he also represents the Divine truth, and the people or the sons of Israel the church itself. (That “the sons of Israel” denote those who are of the spiritual church, see n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223.) That this glorification of the Lord is on account of liberation, is evident from what was shown in the preceding chapter; namely, that they who were of the spiritual church were saved solely by the coming of the Lord into the world, and that until then they had been detained in the lower earth, and there had been infested by spirits who were in falsities from evil, and were liberated by the Lord after He made the Human in Himself Divine. (That they who were of the spiritual church were saved solely by the coming of the Lord into the world, see n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834, 6372; and that until then they had been detained in the lower earth, and were liberated by the Lord when He made the Human in Himself Divine, n. 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8054)

[2] That “to sing a song” denotes to glorify, and that thus a “song” denotes a glorification, is because in the Ancient Church and afterward in the Jewish Church the songs were prophetic and treated of the Lord, especially that He would come into the world, and would overthrow the diabolical crew, then raging more than ever, and would liberate the faithful from their assaults. And because the prophetic utterances of the songs contained such things in the internal sense, therefore by these is signified a glorification of the Lord, that is, a celebration of Him from gladness of heart; for gladness of heart is especially expressed by a song, because in a song gladness breaks forth as it were of itself into sound. Hence it is that Jehovah-that is, the Lord-is called in songs “Hero,” a “Man of war,” the “God of armies,” “Conqueror,” “Strength,” “Bulwark,” “Shield,” “Salvation;” and the diabolical crew that is overthrown, “the enemy” that is “smitten,” “swallowed up,” “overwhelmed,” “cast into hell.”

[3] They who knew nothing of the internal sense also believed in time past that such things as were in the world were meant, as worldly enemies, battles, victories, defeats, submersions, of which the songs treated in the external sense; but they who knew that all prophetic utterances involved things heavenly and Divine, and that these were represented in them, knew that the subject there treated of is the damnation of the unfaithful, and the salvation of the faithful by the Lord, when He would come into the world. And then those who knew this, and meditated upon it, and were affected thereby, had internal gladness; but others only external. The angels also who were with the men were at the same time in the glorification of the Lord; consequently they who sang, and they who heard the songs, had heavenly gladness from the holy and blessed influx which flowed in from heaven, in which they seemed to themselves to be as it were taken up into heaven. Such an effect had the songs of the church among the ancients. Such an effect also they would have at this day; for the spiritual angels are especially affected by songs which are about the Lord, His kingdom, and the church. That the songs of the church had this effect, was not only because by them gladness of heart became active, and burst forth from within even to the utmost fibers of the body, and set these in motion with a glad and at the same time a holy tremor; but also because there is a glorification of the Lord in the heavens by means of choirs, and thus by the harmonious music of many. From this also angelic speech is harmonious, falling into rhythmic measures. (Concerning choirs see n. 2595, 2596, 3350, 5182, 8115; and concerning angelic speech, that it falls into rhythmic measures, n. 1648, 1649, 7191.) From this it is that the glorifications of the Lord among the ancients who were of the church were performed by means of songs, psalms, and musical instruments of various kinds; for the ancients who were of the church had a joy that surpassed all other joys from calling to mind the Lord’s coming, and the salvation of the human race through Him.

[4] That in the internal sense the prophetic songs contained a glorification of the Lord, is evident from the songs in the Word, as in Isaiah:

I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and I will take hold of thy hand, I will guard thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light to the nations, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the bound one from the prison, him that sitteth in darkness out of the house of confinement: sing ye to Jehovah a new song, His praise, extremity of the earth; let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up a voice, let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them give glory to Jehovah; Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, as a man of wars; He shall stir up the zeal, He shall prevail over His enemies (Isaiah 42:6-7, 10-13);

it is evident that this treats of the Lord, in that He would come to liberate those who were in spiritual captivity; wherefore it is said, “sing to Jehovah a new song,” and “let the inhabitants of the rock sing.” In like manner in the same:

I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to divide the wasted heritages; to say to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Be ye revealed: they shall feed upon the ways, and on all hillsides shall be their pasture. Sing, O ye heavens; and exult, O earth; and resound, ye mountains, with song, because Jehovah hath comforted His people, and will have mercy on his afflicted ones (Isaiah 49:8-9, 13);

here also the coming of the Lord and the liberation of the bound are treated of.

[5] In David:

Sing ye to Jehovah a new song, bless His name, recount His glory among the nations: all the gods of the peoples are vanities; but Jehovah made the heavens, glory and honor are before Him; strength and comeliness are in His sanctuary; give ye to Jehovah glory and strength, give ye to Jehovah the glory of His name; say ye among the nations, Jehovah reigneth, the world also is established, and it shall not be removed; Jehovah cometh, He cometh to judge the earth (Psalms 96:1-13).

Jehovah hath made me come up out of the pit of vastation, out of the mire of clay; and hath set my feet upon a rock; and He hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise to our God; many shall see, and shall trust (Psalms 40:2-3).

From these words also it is evident that a “song” denotes a glorification of the Lord on account of liberation; for the songs involved gladness of heart, and the exaltation of the Lord-gladness of heart, on account of the Lord’s coming and salvation then; and exaltation, on account of victory over spiritual enemies. Gladness of heart with exaltation of the Lord is what is meant by glorification.

[6] That gladness of heart was signified by “songs,” is evident in David:

Confess ye to Jehovah on the harp, on a psaltery of ten strings, sing psalms to Him, sing ye to Him a new song; beat surpassingly with a loud noise, because He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap, He putteth the deeps in treasuries (Psalms 33:2-3, 7).

The joy of timbrels shall cease, the tumult of them that are merry shall cease, the joy of the harp shall cease. They shall not drink wine with a song (Isaiah 24:8-9).

I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation (Amos 8:10).

That the exaltation of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, was performed by means of songs, is plain in David:

David the servant of Jehovah, who spake unto Jehovah the words of this song: Jehovah, my strength, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my rescuer; my God, my rock in whom I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my refuge; I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised; then shall I be saved from mine enemies (Psalms 18:1-3).

Jehovah is my strength and my shield; whence in a song I will confess Him; Jehovah is their strength, and the strength of salvations of His anointed (Psalms 28:7-8).

Thy salvation O God will bring me on high; I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with confession (Psalms 69:29-30).

[7] That the songs treated of the Lord, is evident also in John:

The twenty-four elders sang a new song, saying, Worthy art Thou who takest the book, and openest the seals thereof; because Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto God with Thy blood (Revelation 5:8-9).

I saw seven angels who sang the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord, God the Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, O King of saints; who would not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? (Revelation 15:1-2, 4);

“the song of Moses and of the Lamb” is the song which is in this chapter: it is called “the song of the Lamb,” because the glorification of the Lord is treated of therein.

6280. That the “redeeming Angel” is the Lord as to the Divine Human, is evident from the fact that by assuming the Human and making it Divine the Lord redeemed man, that is, delivered him from hell; whence the Lord as to His Divine Human is called the “Redeemer.” That the Divine Human is called the “Angel” is because the word “angel” means “sent,” and the Lord as to the Divine Human is said to be “sent,” as is plain from many passages in the Word of the Evangelists. Moreover before the Lord’s coming into the world the Divine Human was Jehovah Himself flowing in through heaven when He spoke the Word; for Jehovah was above the heavens, but that which passed from Him through the heavens was at that time the Divine Human; for by the influx of Jehovah into heaven, He set forth a man, and the very Divine thence derived was a Divine man. This then is the Divine Human from eternity, and is what is called “Sent,” by which is meant proceeding, and this is the same as “Angel.”

[2] But as Jehovah by this Divine Human of His, could not flow in any longer with men, because they had so far removed themselves from this Divine, He therefore took on the Human and made it Divine, and thus by influx from this into heaven He could reach even those of the human race who would receive the good of charity and the truth of faith from the Divine Human, which was thus made visible, and could thus deliver them from hell, which could not possibly have been effected in any other way. This deliverance is that which is called “redemption,” and the Divine Human Itself, which delivered or redeemed, is what is called the “redeeming Angel.”

[3] But be it known that in respect to the Divine Human, as well as in respect to the Divine Itself, the Lord is above heaven; for He is the Sun which illumines heaven; thus that heaven is far beneath Him. The Divine Human which is in heaven is the Divine truth which proceeds from Him, which is the light from Him as a sun. In respect to His essence the Lord is not Divine truth, for this is from Him as light from the sun, but He is Divine good itself, one with Jehovah.

[4] The Lord’s Divine Human is called “Angel” in other places also in the Word, as when He appeared to Moses in the bush, of which it is written in Exodus:

When Moses came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb, the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. Jehovah saw that Moses turned aside to see, therefore God called unto him out of the midst of the bush. And he said further, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:1-2, 4, 6);

it is the Lord’s Divine Human which is here called the “Angel of Jehovah,” and it is plainly said that it was Jehovah Himself. That Jehovah was there in the Divine Human may be seen from the fact that the Divine Itself could not appear except through the Divine Human; according to the Lord’s words in John: “No one hath ever seen God, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth” (John 1:18); and in another place: “Ye have neither ever heard the voice of the Father, nor seen His shape” (John 5:37).

[5] Moreover the Lord as to the Divine Human is called the “Angel” where it treats of leading the people into the land of Canaan, of which we read in Exodus:

Behold I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee unto the place which I have prepared. Beware thou of His faces, for He will not bear your transgression, because My name is in the midst of Him (Exodus 23:20-21, 23).

That the “Angel” in this passage is the Divine Human, is evident from the fact that it is said, “because My name is in the midst of Him,” that is, Jehovah Himself is. By “My name” is signified the quality of Jehovah which is in the Divine Human (that the Lord as to the Divine Human is the “name of Jehovah,” may be seen above, n. 2628; and that the “name of God” is His quality, as also everything in one complex by means of which God is worshiped, n. 2724, 3006).

[6] In Isaiah:

In all their distress He had distress, and the Angel of His faces will deliver them; in His love and in His indulgence He redeemed them, and He took them, and carried them all the days of eternity (Isaiah 63:9).

That the “Angel of the faces of Jehovah” is the Lord as to the Divine Human, is manifest, for it is said that “He redeemed them.”

[7] In Malachi:

Behold the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come unto His temple, even the Angel of the covenant whom ye desire; Behold He cometh, saith Jehovah Zebaoth. But who shall endure the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? Then shall the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem be sweet to Jehovah, as in the days of eternity, and as in former years (Malachi 3:1-2, 4).

That the “Angel of the covenant” is the Lord as to the Divine Human is very evident, for the subject treated of is His coming; the “offering of Judah and Jerusalem being then sweet to Jehovah” signifies that worship from love and faith in Him will then be sweet. That by “Judah” here is not meant Judah, nor by “Jerusalem” Jerusalem, is clearly evident; for neither then nor afterward was the offering of Judah and Jerusalem sweet. That the “days of eternity” are the states of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial; and that the “former years” are the states of the Ancient Church, which was spiritual, may be seen above (n. 6239). Moreover by an “angel” in the Word, in the internal sense, is not signified an angel, but something Divine in the the Lord, (n. 1925, 2319, 2821, 3039, 4085).