Consider the simple faith expressed in this psalm to the Lord. A confidence that evil will be punished and that good will always prevail. The future is bright. There is no need to worry.

We might assume that the author was an idealistic youth - one who has never experienced pain or disappointment. Yet this psalm did not come from any naive child. It was written by a very old man, a man who had known incredible hardships. It is a psalm of David.

Think of David. Although from a shepherd he became king, he also knew hardship. As a youth he had to flee for his life from the jealous Saul. He felt the grief over being responsible for the death of his infant son. Later, as king, he saw his children rape and kill one another. He was forced to flee Jerusalem for his life, because his own son Absalom had rebelled. Then he regained his throne at the cost of his beloved Absalom's life.

David experienced intense pain. Yet he could advise us not to worry about those who do evil. All we need do is trust in the Lord and do good. Indeed, he claims that those who commit their way to the Lord will have everything they need, even if it be but a little in comparison with those who are evil. There is nothing in the future to fear. The good will be rewarded for their efforts.

Comparing this psalm with David's life, we may think that he had an unrealistic view of providence. But consider a similar teaching from the doctrines of the New Church: "When the Lord is present with someone, he leads him, and provides that all things which happen, whether sad or joyful, befall him for good; this is the Divine providence" (Arcana Coelestia 6303). Whatever happens - being promoted or fired, realizing our dreams or having them dashed - all result in good!

A difficult idea to accept - in large part because it seems like the Lord thereby is just manipulating us, causing evil to come into our lives.

But such is not the case. The Lord would never make anything bad happen. And He would prefer that we never suffer any pain. His providence is a gentle leading which causes good things to happen, and tolerates evil things. However He permits us to hurt ourselves and He allows others to cause us pain. Not as punishment, but as the result of free choices by individuals and groups.

One of the greatest stumbling blocks to sensing mercy in His providence is that when we feel pain or worry about serious problems we think that is all there is in life. We cannot see beyond the suffering, the hurt. But while we are occupied with worry, the Lord is already looking ahead - to what can come from the experience, to how He can lead us to grow in spite of the difficulty. For the Lord's view is eternal. He sees hope when we see none. He leads to happiness when we feel hurt.

The apparently random and purposeless events in life are described in the Heavenly Doctrines with pebbles. The Lord allows a person "to go here and there, so that the moments of his life appear like scattered pebbles. But the Lord then sees whether he fills up that space between them; He sees what is lacking and where; and then, continually, what is next in order, after a hundred or a thousand years" (Spiritual Experiences 4692[m]). The Lord's sight and providence encompasses eons of time. He sees all we are, and all we might become. He then gradually provides for it - not immediately, but over the course of an eternal lifetime. Whatever happens, whatever decisions we make, or whatever others do to us - the Lord eventually turns everything to good.

Unfortunately, our view is seldom as long. We cannot see how things will turn out in twenty, much less two thousand years. And when we are suffering our sight is even more limited. So we worry about what will happen. We may try to trust in His guidance, but we are more likely to feel abandoned by the Lord. Whatever He might be doing is both invisible and insensible to us.

In such a frame of mind we might wish we could see the future, be certain of how things will work out. If we were assured of the specific outcome, or knew exactly which path were the best to follow, we could really trust in the Lord - have confidence in Him to lead us.

Yet, in this, as in all other things, the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He does not hide the workings of providence from us as a test of our trust, or a puzzle for us to sort out. The Divine does not tease us. But the Lord is fully aware that if we were to know the future, or if we received the "right" answers to our specific questions by a voice out of heaven, we would wind up destroying ourselves.

Imagine what we would feel like if someone predicted every last thing that we would experience for the 24 hours. At first we would disbelieve, but what if the predictions started coming true? It would be disturbing, to say the least. And would we not begin to feel restricted, and try to prevent the predictions from coming true?

We value our freedom, our sense of self. We will protect it at all costs. When we are forced to do something, or if we are pressured into one course of action, do we not rebel, wanting to act against that pressure?

Such resistance is not adolescent or infantile reaction to authority. It stems from our inner freedom of thought. For us to be human beings we need to think things out for ourselves and then act in freedom. Whatever choices we make determine the kind of person we become - and whether our choices are good or bad, at least they make us who we choose to be, not who someone else forces us to be.

Yet, when we are confused or suffering, we have a tremendous yearning to see something of the potential the Lord sees for us and those we love. Unfortunately, if we were able to glimpse it, we would probably work against it. A paradox which can be frustrating and lead us to worry about the future.

It would be much better if we could just let go and trust the Lord to make the best of whatever we do. That is what the angels do. They have no memory of past events from their earthly life to trouble them. Nor do they have any desire to know what is to come. For they are content in the present. Imagine if we could be so fully engaged in our present activities, dealing with what we can do rather than what is beyond our power, that we had no time to worry about the future! It is a goal worth striving for.

But for now, we tend to worry. We tend to worry about our jobs, our health, our children, the international situation, our spiritual state. It can on go on and on. Certainly some amount of thoughtful consideration is important. We are meant to make plans for the future - use good judgment to provide for our families. And we can delight in looking forward to continued productivity or happier times. But planning and worrying about what might or might not occur can become excessive.

The Psalms admonish us: "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret - it only causes harm" (37:8). Do not worry, it only causes pain. Thinking too much of the future can lead us to forget that the Lord's providence is silently guiding us. The doctrines of the New Church point out that, "a longing to know the future is innate with most people; but this longing derives its origin from the love of evil" (Divine Providence 179).

Anxiety about the future stems from a lack of confidence that the Lord can lead us to happiness. Since He works invisibly, we can think that we are the only ones who have any direct influence upon what happens. It is a subtle trust in self, and denial that the Lord can be relied upon. Certainly it appears as if we have to do all the work, but it is not the reality. For we could not have created ourselves. We can't even make ourselves happy!

So the Heavenly Doctrines describe the Lord's providence "as when one walks in thick forests, the exit out of which he does not know; but when he finds it, he attributes the discovery to himself, whereas providence meantime is as one who stands in a tower, sees the wanderings of such a person, and leads him without his knowing it to the place of exit" (Spiritual Experiences 4393). The Lord is in the tower, inspiring our thoughts, motivating our actions so that we can be led from darkness into light.

But His guiding can only be effective when we cooperate. We have to search for ways out of the forest. The Lord gave us the ability to think so we would use it. If we sit back and ponder our situation, how hopeless it may seem, little is accomplished. Can we add one cubit to our height by worrying about it? We also need to act. If we stand around and complain about how lost we are, or how unfair life is, it is very difficult for the Lord to lead us anywhere. He will not drag us out of our forests against our wills.

It is as the Psalm said: "Trust in the Lord and do good." Such simple advice, but so true! We cannot alter the past, but we can do something in the present, enabling the Lord to create a happy future.

There will still be times of selfishness where we long to know how things could possibly work out, and there will still be things happening to us which are not pleasant. We cannot control life. But we can avoid being defeated by it. We have been given the knowledge of how the Lord operates to bring about happiness in the long term. We have been given the freedom to act with reason. We have the basis for trusting in Him.

Let us then listen to the Psalm, not worrying about the future, not worrying about what is or what might be. Let us do the good that we can, and leave the rest to the Lord. After all, He should be able to do a much better job than we. Let us commit our ways to the Lord, trusting in Him, and He can give us the heavenly desires of our hearts.

(Reference: Arcana Coelestia 6303; Divine Providence 176; Spiritual Experiences 2178, 4393, 4692)

250. And open the door, signifies reception in the heart or the life. This is evident from the signification of "opening the door," as being to admit, for "door" signifies admission (See above, n. 208); but here "opening the door" signifies reception in the heart or the life, for it follows, "I will come in to him." It is said, "if he open the door," as if man opened it, when yet it is the Lord Himself who opens, as was said and shown just above n. 248. It is so said, however, because it so appears to man, by reason of the freedom given him by the Lord. Moreover, in the sense of the letter of the Word many things are said according to appearances; but those appearances are put off in heaven, where the internal or spiritual sense of the Word is. The sense of the letter of the Word is in many places according to appearances, in order that it may serve as a basis for the spiritual sense; otherwise it would have no basis or foundation. That many things in the Word are said according to appearances can be seen from this, that it is said in the Word that evil is from God, that wrath, anger, and revenge pertain to God, and other like things; when yet God does evil to no one, nor does any anger or revenge pertain to Him; for He is good itself and love itself; but because such is the appearance when man does evil and is punished, it is so said in the sense of the letter; but still in the spiritual sense of the Word the meaning is different. So is it with this "if man open the door."

[2] It shall moreover be explained what is meant by "opening the door," when this is said to be done by man, as here. The Lord is always present with good and truth in man, and strives to open his spiritual mind; this is the door which the Lord wishes to open, and to endow man with heavenly love and faith; for He says, "I stand at the door and knock." But of this endeavor or this perpetual desire of the Lord man has no perception; for he supposes that he does good from himself, and that this endeavor or this wish is in himself. It is sufficient then for man to acknowledge from the doctrine of the church that all good is from God, and nothing thereof from man. This is not perceived by man, in order that there may be reception by man, and by reception appropriation, for otherwise man cannot be reformed.

[3] This shows how much in error those in the doctrine of faith alone are in saying and believing that it is faith and not the good of life that saves, that is, that man is justified by faith alone, thus excluding man's application to receive. They know that man must examine himself, must see and acknowledge his evils, not only those of his works but also those of thought and intention, and that he must afterwards abstain from them and shun them and lead a new life, which must be a life of good; and that unless he does this there is no forgiveness for him, but damnation. This the doctors and leaders of the church teach when they preach from the Word, and this they teach everyone who comes to the Holy Supper; this they then teach as if from faith; but as soon as they go back and look to their doctrine of justification by faith alone they no longer believe these things, but say that all are led from evil to good by God after they have received faith; and some of them, that they may connect their principles of falsity with truths, say that after they have been justified by faith they are led by God to examine themselves, to confess their sins before God, to abstain from them, and so on. This, however, takes place with no one who believes in justification by faith alone, but it does take place with those who live a life of charity. By that life man is conjoined with heaven, but no man is so by faith alone. He who is conjoined with heaven by a life of charity is led by the Lord to see his evils, both the evils of thought and the evils of will. Man sees evils from good, because evils are contrary to good. But he who believes in salvation by faith alone says in heart, "I have faith, since I believe the things that are said; nothing condemns me; I have been justified;" and one who so believes can in no way be led by the Lord to examine himself and to repent of evils. Thus do they teach truths before the people, who from this believe that living well and believing well are meant by being justified by faith, neither do they look any deeper into the arcana of their doctrine. These are the ones who are saved; but the former are the ones who are condemned. That they are condemned they themselves might see if they were willing, for they believe from doctrine that the goods of life, which are works, contribute nothing to salvation, but faith alone; when yet works are abstaining from evils and living a new life, without which there is condemnation.

[4] That such preachings as are not from the arcana of their doctrine, and also the prayers received in the church teach this, can be seen from what is read before all the people who come to the altar to enjoy the Sacrament of the Supper, which shall be quoted here in the vernacular in which they are written [in English], as follows:

The way and means to be received as worthy partakers of that holy table is, first, to examine your lives and conversations by the rule of God's commandments; and whereinsoever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if ye shall perceive your offenses to be such as are not only against God but also against your neighbors, then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution and satisfaction according to the uttermost of your power, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offenses at God's hand; for otherwise the receiving of the holy communion doth nothing else but increase your damnation. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, a hinderer or slanderer of His Word, an adulterer, or be in malice or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to that holy table; lest after the taking of that holy sacrament the devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and fill you full of iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of body and soul.

Judge therefore yourselves, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent ye truly for your sins past; have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Savior; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men.

Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to live a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in His holy ways, draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God.

[5] From this it can now be seen that the doctors and leaders of the church know, and yet do not know, that this way, and not the way of faith apart from this, is the way to heaven; they know when they pray and preach before the people what is here quoted; but they do not know when they teach from their doctrine. The former way they call practical religion, but the latter the Christian religion; the former they believe to be for the simple, but the latter for the wise. But I am able to affirm that those who live according to the doctrine of faith alone and of justification by faith have no spiritual faith at all, and after the life in this world they come into damnation. But those who live according to the doctrine drawn from the above exhortations have spiritual faith, and after the life in the world come into heaven. This also perfectly agrees with the faith received throughout the Christian world, called the Athanasian Faith, in which are these words respecting the Lord:

At whose coming all men shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil into everlasting fire: this is the catholic faith.

[6] That these things are in perfect agreement with the Word is evident from the following passages:

The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then he shall render unto everyone according to his works (Matthew 16:27).

They that have done good shall go forth unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:28, 29).

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; their works do follow them (Revelation 14:13).

I will give unto each one of you according to his works (Revelation 2:23).

I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and books were opened; and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and hell gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged everyone according to their works (Revelation 20:12, 13).

Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give everyone according to his works (Revelation 22:12).

In what is written to the seven churches it is said to each, "I know thy works." Thus:

To the angel of the Ephesian church write, These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, I know thy works (Revelation 2:1, 2).

To the angel of the Church of the Smyrneans write, These things saith the First and the Last, I know thy works (Revelation 2:8, 9).

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write, These things saith He that hath the sword, I know thy works (Revelation 2:12, 13).

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, I know thy works and charity (Revelation 2:18, 19).

To the angel of the church of Sardis write, These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, I know thy works (Revelation 3:1).

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things saith the Holy, the True, I know thy works (Revelation 3:7, 8).

To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, I know thy works (Revelation 3:14, 15).

In Jeremiah:

Requite ¹ them according to their work, and according to the doing of their hands (Jeremiah 25:14).

In the same:

Jehovah, whose eyes are open upon all the ways of men, to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 32:19).

In Hosea:

And I will visit upon him his ways, and render his doings to him (Hosea 4:9).

In Zechariah:

Jehovah according to our ways and according to our doings doeth with us (Zechariah 1:6).

So in the following passages.

In John:

If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye have done them (John 13:17).

In Luke:

Why call ye Me lord, and do not the things that I say (Luke 6:46).

In Matthew:

Whosoever doeth and teacheth, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:19).

In the same:

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in the heavens. Whosoever heareth My words and doeth them, I will liken him unto a prudent man. But whosoever heareth My words and doeth them not, I will liken him unto a foolish man (Matthew 7:19-27).

In the same:

He that was sown into the good earth, this is he that heareth the Word and understandeth, who beareth fruit and bringeth forth (Matthew 13:23).

These are they that were sown into the good earth who hear the Word and receive it, and bear fruit (Mark 4:20).

The seed that fell into the good earth are such as in a simple and good heart hear the Word, hold fast, and bring forth fruit (Luke 8:15).

When the Lord had said these things. He cried, saying, He that hath ears to hear let him hear (Matthew 13:9; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8).

In Matthew:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).

"The Law and the Prophets" means the Word in its whole complex.

[7] That to love the Lord God is to obey His words or precepts He Himself teaches in John:

He that loveth Me keepeth My words; and My Father will love Him, and We will come unto him and make our abode with him. But he that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:21, 23-24).

Also in Matthew:

The Lord said to the goats who were on His left hand that they should go away into everlasting fire; and to the sheep who were on His right hand that they should go into eternal life (Matthew 25:31-46).

That "goats" are those who do not do the good things of charity, and "sheep" those who do, is clear from the words there; they both said that they did not know that doing good to the neighbor is doing it to the Lord; but they are taught at the day of judgment, if not before, that to do good is to love the Lord. "The five foolish virgins who had no oil in their lamps" also mean those who are in faith, and not in the good of charity; and "the five prudent virgins who had oil in their lamps" mean those who are in the good of charity also; for "lamp" signifies faith, and "oil" the good of charity:

It is said of them that the prudent virgins were admitted; but the others who said, Lord, Lord, open to us, received the answer, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not (Matthew 25:1-12).

That in the last time of the church there would be no faith in the Lord because no charity, was signified by:

Peter's denying the Lord thrice before the cock crew (Matthew 26:34, 69-74).

The like is signified by:

The Lord's saying to Peter, when Peter saw John following the Lord, What is that to thee, Peter? Follow thou Me, John; for Peter had said of John, What of this man? (John 21:21-22).

For "Peter" in a representative sense signifies faith, and "John" the good of charity; and because John signified the good of charity, therefore he reclined on the Lord's breast (John 21:20).

[8] That this good is what makes the church is signified by the Lord's words from the cross to John:

Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by; and He said unto His mother, woman, behold thy son! And He said to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto himself (John 19:26-27).

"Mother" and "woman" here mean the church; and "John" the good of charity, and thus these words signify that the church will be where there is the good of charity. (But these things may be seen more fully explained in the passages quoted inThe Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 122; moreover, that there is no faith where there is no charity, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39; and that man after death is such as his life was in the world, and not such as his faith was, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 470-484; also what charity is, and what faith is in its essence, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-122.)

[9] From what has now been presented let it be considered whether having faith is anything else than living it; and whether living it is not merely knowing and thinking, but also willing and doing; for faith is not in man when it is only in his knowing and thinking, but when it is also in his willing and doing. Faith in man is the faith of the life, but faith not yet in man is the faith of the memory and of thought therefrom. The faith of the life means believing in God; but believing those things that are from God, and not believing in God, is historical faith, which is not saving. Who that is a true priest and good pastor does not wish that men should live aright; and who does not know that the faith of knowledges, based on what another has said, is not the faith of the life, but historical faith?

[10] Faith of the life is the faith of charity, for charity is life. But even though this be so, still I foresee that those who have confirmed themselves in the doctrine of faith alone and of justification by faith will not recede from it, because they connect falsities with truths; for they teach truths when they teach from the Word, but falsities when they teach from doctrine; and they therefore confound these things by saying that the fruits of faith are the goods of life, and that these follow from faith, and yet that the goods of life contribute nothing to salvation, but that faith alone saves. Thus they both join and separate the two; and when they join the two they teach truths, but only before the people, who do not know that they are inverting things, and that they say these things of necessity, in order that their doctrine may cohere with the Word; but when they separate the two they teach falsities, for they say that faith saves, and not the goods of charity which are works, not knowing then that charity and faith act as one, and that charity is acting well and faith is believing well, and that believing well apart from acting well is impossible; thus that there can be no faith apart from charity; as also that charity is the esse of faith and its soul; consequently faith alone is faith without a soul, thus a dead faith; and as such faith is not faith, so justification by such faith is a thing of naught.

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