The Bible

 

Lamentations 3:18

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18 And I said, My strength is cut off, and my hope from the Lord.

Commentary

 

Under

  

In the Bible, things that are lower down, or under, physically, generally represent things that are lower or more external spiritually. In some cases, the lower things have been separated and put away to protect the good, but in others, it can mean that a less exalted idea or good desire is supporting a more exalted one.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 4564 [1-2], 8610, 9656)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2148

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2148. That 'he lifted up his eyes' means that He saw within Himself is clear from the meaning of 'lifting up the eyes'. By 'eyes' in the Word is meant interior sight, or the understanding, as becomes clear from the places quoted in 212, and therefore by 'lifting up the eyes' is meant seeing and perceiving the things which exist above oneself. Things that are interior are expressed in the Word by those that are higher, as in the expressions 'looking upwards', 'lifting up the eyes to heaven', and 'thinking high things' - the reason being that man imagines heaven to be on high, or up above himself, though in fact it is not on high but exists in things that are internal; when the heavenly things of love are present in a person, his heaven exists within him, see 450. From this it is plain that 'lifting up the eyes' means seeing within oneself.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.