386. Internal Meaning of Psalm 136

1-3 Let them confess the Lord, who alone is God and Lord,6 (16)

4-6 who, by means of the Divine truth, has formed heaven and the church, (12)

7-9 from whom is all truth of doctrine, and good of love, and knowledge (cognitio) of these; (12)

10-22 who delivers the natural man from falsities of evil, and there establishes the church, and dissipates evils of every kind. (11, 12, 17)

23-26 Celebration and confession of Him who delivers from falsities and evils, and grants truths and goods,6, (16, 12)

1-26 and this from pure mercy. (12)

In Genesis 1:24, beasts signify the things of man's will or loves. (Arcana Coelestia 44, 46)

In Genesis 9:10, beasts signify all that was living in the man of the Ancient Church, and also what belonged to his new will; likewise the lower things of his understanding and the will therefrom. (Arcana Coelestia 1026-1029)

In Psalm 104:20, beasts signify affections longing to be instructed, or spiritually nourished. (Apocalypse Explained 650[10])

In Luke 10:35, since the beast was a donkey, this signifies to instruct another according to his capability. (Apocalypse Explained 1154)

The beast of the south (Isaiah 30:6) signifies people who are principled in the knowledges of good and of truth, but do not apply them to life and instead to science.

Every beast and creeping thing (Genesis 8:19) signifies the goodnesses of the internal and external man.

"Beasts" represent the affection for doing good things, a true desire to do them from the heart. In the negative sense, "beasts" stand for the lust to do evil.

The beast ascending out of the sea (Revelation 13:1) signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 13, 773; Revelation 13:11)