시편 23편은 세계에서 가장 잘 알려져 있고 가장 사랑받는 문학 작품 중 하나이며, 지금까지 쓰여진 시 중 최고의 시일 수도 있습니다. 또한 비유적 언어의 힘을 보여주는 좋은 예이기도 합니다: 우리는 친절한 목자가 푸른 초장과 좋은 물로 인도하는 양이 된 우리 자신의 모습을 통해 깊은 것을 읽어냅니다. 사망의 음침한 골짜기로 두려움 없이 나아갈 수 있는 자신감과 주님이 차려주신 식탁과 넘치도록 가득 찬 잔의 사랑과 배려를 느낄 수 있는 힘이 생깁니다.

그러나 사람들이 모르는 것은 이 언어가 실제로 정확한 내적 의미를 가지고 있으며, 우리가 그것을 볼 때 시에는 더 깊은 아름다움이 있다는 것입니다. 그 이유는 이 시가 실제로 묘사하는 것은 천국으로 가는 길이며, 우리를 천국으로 인도하려는 주님의 강렬한 열망이기 때문입니다.

첫 번째 단계는 주님을 우리의 목자로 모시고 그분의 가르침과 리더십을 받아들이는 것입니다. 푸른 초원과 잔잔한 물은 그분이 여정에서 우리에게 가르치실 것들을 상징합니다. 그런 다음 주님은 우리 안에서 일하기 시작하여 우리의 영적인 삶을 질서 있게 정돈하여 우리가 선한 일을 행하고 서로 사랑하기를 원하도록 하십니다. 그것은 우리의 영혼을 회복시키고 우리를 의의 길로 인도하는 것으로 표현됩니다.

그러나 우리는 여전히 도전에 직면할 것입니다. 우리는 여전히 세상 밖에서 외적인 삶을 살고 있으며, 그 외적인 삶, 육체적인 삶에서 일어나는 욕망의 지배를 받습니다. 그것이 바로 사망의 음침한 골짜기입니다. 그러나 지팡이와 지팡이는 외적, 내적 차원에서 주님이 주시는 진리, 즉 그러한 욕망으로부터 우리를 보호할 수 있는 사상을 상징합니다.

우리가 계속 따를 때 주님은 우리 안에 사랑(기름부음)과 지혜(넘치도록 잔)로 채울 수 있는 식탁을 준비해 주실 것입니다. 이렇게 변화된 우리는 다른 사람에 대한 사랑("선")과 주님의 사랑("자비")으로 천국에 들어갈 수 있으며, 영원히 사랑하고 사랑받을 수 있습니다.

이것의 많은 아름다운 점 중 하나는 모든 일을 실제로 행하시는 분이 주님이라는 사실입니다. 본문 전체에서 양들이 취한 유일한 행동은 사망의 음침한 골짜기로 걸어가는 것뿐입니다. 그 외에는 주님을 따르고, 주님을 신뢰하고, 주님의 축복을 받아들입니다. 그리고 그것은 정말 사실입니다! 외적인 상태(골짜기)에서는 우리가 스스로 일을 하는 것처럼 보일 수 있지만, 내적으로는 영적으로 우리 자신을 주님께 드리고 주님께서 우리를 축복하시도록 내버려두면 됩니다.

여기서 근본적인 생각은 주님께서 우리를 사랑하시도록 우리를 창조하셨고, 우리를 사랑하시면서 우리가 행복하기를 원하시며, 우리의 가장 큰 행복은 천국에서 그분과 결합하는 것에서 비롯된다는 것을 알고 계시며, 그분 자신도 우리와 결합하는 것 이상을 원하지 않으신다는 것입니다. 그래서 그분께서 지구상의 모든 사람을 위해 매일 매 순간 행하시는 모든 일은 그 사람을 천국에 데려가려는 목표에 집중되어 있습니다. 그분은 우리가 상상할 수 있는 것 이상으로 우리 한 사람 한 사람이 천국에 가기를 원하십니다. 우리는 협력하기만 하면 됩니다.

(Referenser: Apocalypse Explained 375 [34], 727 [2]; The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms 273)

795. 'All the high mountains beneath the whole sky were covered' means that all goods stemming from charity were done away with. This is clear from the meaning of 'mountains' among the most ancient people. Among them 'mountains' meant the Lord, for they conducted their worship of Him on mountains because these were the loftiest parts of the earth. Consequently 'mountains' meant heavenly things which they also called 'the most high', and accordingly love and charity, and so the goods that stem from love and charity, which are heavenly things. In the contrary sense also, the people who are haughty are called 'mountains' in the Word, and so mountains also mean self-love. The Most Ancient Church also is meant in the Word by 'mountains' from the fact that mountains rose up above the earth and were nearer so to speak to heaven, where things have their origins.

[2] That 'mountains' means the Lord, and all heavenly things deriving from Him, that is, goods that stem from love and charity, is clear from the following places in the Word. These show what 'mountains' means in particular, for every single detail takes its meaning from the matter to which it applies. In David,

The mountains will bring peace, and the hills, in righteousness. Psalms 72:3.

'Mountains' stands for love to the Lord, 'hills' for love towards the neighbour, such as existed with the Most Ancient Church, which, since it was of such a nature, is also meant in the Word by 'mountains' and therefore 'hills'. In Ezekiel,

On My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, said the Lord Jehovih, there all the house of Israel, all of them that are in the land, will serve Me. Ezekiel 20:40.

Here 'holy mountain' stands for love to the Lord, 'mountain height of Israel' for charity towards the neighbour. In Isaiah,

It will be in the latter days that the mountain of the house Jehovah will be established on the top of the mountains, and raised above the hills. Isaiah 2:2.

This stands for the Lord and consequently for everything heavenly.

[3] In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will make for all peoples on this mountain a feast of fat things, and He will swallow up on this mountain the face ¹ of the covering. Isaiah 25:6-7.

'Mountain' stands for the Lord and consequently for everything heavenly. In the same prophet,

It will be that on every high mountain, and on every lofty hill, there will be brooks, streams of water. Isaiah 30:25.

'Mountains' stands for goods that stem from love, 'hills' for goods that stem from charity, such goods being the source of truths of faith, which are 'brooks and streams of water'. In the same prophet,

You will have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed, and joy of heart as when one goes with a flute to come to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel. Isaiah 30:29.

'Mountain of Jehovah' stands for the Lord with reference to goods that stem from love, 'Rock of Israel' for the Lord with reference to goods that stem from charity.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Isaiah 31:4.

Here and in many other places 'Mount Zion' stands for the Lord and consequently for everything celestial, which is love, and 'hill' for what is celestial but lower, which is charity.

In the same prophet,

Get you up on to the high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings. Isaiah 40:9.

'Getting up on to the high mountain and declaring good tidings' is worshipping the Lord from love and charity, which are inmost things, and are therefore also called most high. That which is inmost is referred to as the most high. In the same prophet,

Let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Isaiah 42:11.

'Inhabitants of the rock' stands for those who abide in charity, 'shouting from the top of the mountains' for worshipping the Lord from love. In the same prophet,

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of Him who is bringing good tidings, causing peace to be heard, bringing good tidings of good, causing salvation to be heard. Isaiah 52:7

'Bringing good tidings on the mountains' in like manner stands for preaching about the Lord from doctrine concerning love and charity, and for worshipping from these. In the same prophet,

The mountains and the hills will resound before you with song, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12.

This stands for worshipping the Lord from love and charity, which are 'the mountains and the hills', and from faith deriving from these, which is 'the trees of the field'.

[5] In the same prophet,

I will set all My mountains as a way, and My pathways will be raised up. Isaiah 49:11.

'Mountains' stands for love and charity, 'way' and 'pathway' for the truths of faith deriving from these, which are said to be 'raised up' when they stem from love and charity, which are inmost. In the same prophet,

He who trusts in Me will take possession in the land, and will inherit My holy mountain. Isaiah 57:13.

This stands for the Lord's kingdom where there is nothing other than love and charity. In the same prophet,

I will bring forth seed from Jacob, and from Judah the heir of My mountains, and My chosen ones will possess it. Isaiah 65:9.

'Mountains' stands for the Lord's kingdom and for celestial goods, and 'Judah' for the celestial Church. In the same prophet,

Thus said the High and Lofty One inhabiting eternity, whose name is the Holy One. I dwell as the High and Holy One Isaiah 57:15.

Here 'high' stands for holy. Consequently 'mountains', on account of their height above the earth, meant the Lord, and holy heavenly things that are His. This also is why it was from Mount Sinai that the Lord proclaimed the Law. Love and charity are also what the Lord means by 'mountains' when, in reference to the close of the age, He says that those who were then in Judaea were to flee to the mountains, Matthew 24:16; Luke 21:21; Mark 13:14. Here 'Judaea' stands for the vastated Church.

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