It is common in the Bible for people to "rise up," and it would be easy to pass over the phrase as simply describing a physical action. But in fact it represents an elevation in spiritual state, moving to a more internal frame of mind closer to the Lord. Often it has to do with understanding a new or important idea; we "rise up" to a state of greater perception and enlightenment. Obviously context is crucial to the exact meaning of the phrase in a given passage -- it matters greatly who it is that is rising up, and why.

177. THE GARMENTS WITH WHICH ANGELS ARE SEEN TO BE CLOTHED

Because angels are men, and live together as men do on earth, therefore, they have garments, dwellings and other such things, with the difference, however, that as they are in a more perfect state, all the things they have are in greater perfection. For, as angelic wisdom surpasses human wisdom to such a degree as to be described as ineffable, so it is also with all things that are perceived and seen by angels, inasmuch as all things perceived and seen by them correspond to their wisdom (see above 173).