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<< PSALM CIV. >>
1. Bless Jehovah, O my soul.
O Jehovah my God, thou art very great;
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty:
2. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment;
Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain;
3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters;
Who maketh the clouds his chariot;
Who walketh upon the wings of the wind;
4. Who maketh winds his messengers;
Flames of fire his ministers;
5. Who laid the foundations of the earth,
That it should not be moved for ever.
6. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a vesture;
The waters stood above the mountains.
7. At thy rebuke they fled;
At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away
8. (The mountains rose, the valleys sank down)
Unto the place which thou hadst founded for them.
9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over;
That they turn not again to cover the earth.
10. He sendeth forth springs into the valleys;
They run among the mountains;
11. They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild asses quench their thirst.
12. By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation;
They sing among the branches.
13. He watereth the mountains from his chambers:
The earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
And herb for the service of man;
That he may bring forth food out of the earth,
15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man,
And oil to make his face to shine,
And bread that strengthened man's heart.
16. The trees of Jehovah are filled with moisture,
The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17. Where the birds make their nests:
As for the stork, the fir-trees are her house.
18. The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the conies.
19. He appointed the moon for seasons:
The sun knoweth his going down.
20. Thou makest darkness, and it is night,
Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21. The young lions roar after their prey,
And seek their food from God.
22. The sun ariseth, they get them away,
And lay them down in their dens.
23. Man goeth forth unto his work
And to his labor until the evening.
24. O Jehovah, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all:
The earth is full of thy riches.
25. Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
Wherein are things creeping innumerable,
Both small and great beasts.
26. There go the ships;
There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play
therein.
27. These wait all for thee,
That thou mayest give them their food in due season.
28. Thou givest unto them, they gather;
Thou openest thy hand, they are satisfied with good.
29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled;
Thou takest away their breath, they die,
And return to their dust.
30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created;
And thou renewest the face of the ground.
31. Let the glory of Jehovah endure for ever-
Let Jehovah rejoice in his works:
32. Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth;
He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.
33. I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live:
I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34. Let my meditation be sweet unto him:
I will rejoice in Jehovah.
35. Let sinners be consumed out of the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless Jehovah, O my soul.
Praise ye Jehovah.
1. Bless Jehovah, O my soul.
O Jehovah my God, thou art very great;
Thou art clothed with honor and majesty:
General Subject. Song in praise of the Lord. P. P.
1. See Psalm viii. 6. R. 249.
By being clothed with honour and majesty, when predicated of Jehovah, is signified His girding himself with Divine truth and Divine good, for these proceed from Him and thence gird Him, and thus constitute the heavens, therefore in the Word they are called His garments and His covering. E. 288.
1, 2. To cover himself with light as with a garment stands for Divine truths. To stretch out the heavens as a curtain means to enlarge the heavens by the influx of Divine truth, whence comes intelligence and wisdom. A. 9595. 1-4. From Him are Divine truths, or the Word. P. P. 1-6, 9. The glory and honour with which Jehovah clothed himself, that is the Lord, is Divine truth. The light with which He covered as with a garment is the Divine truth, such as it is in heaven and in the church. Verse 3 the chambers are the heavenly societies, and the waters are truths. The clouds are truths from which doctrine is derived, chariot stands for doctrine. Verse 5 the earth is the church. The basis on which it is founded are truths in ultimates, such as are those of the Word in its literal sense, hence it is said that they shall not be moved to eternity. Verse 6 the abyss is scientific truth for the natural man. Hence the meaning of verse 9 is evident. The limit is the ultimate of Divine truth into which the
interior things terminate, and on which, as on a prop and foundation, they subsist and rest. A. 9433.
1, 2, 19, 20. The moon stands for intelligence and the sun for wisdom from the Lord, the going down of the sun for the obscurity of each. Making darkness and its becoming night signifies the moderating of a state of obscurity. A. 3693.
2. Garments are truths. A. 5954.
By stretching out is signified omnipotence, that is that He enlarges the limits of heaven, and fills the inhabitants
with life and wisdom. A. 7673.
By stretching out the heavens is understood to regenerate man, and thereby to create or form a new intellect in which is a new will, which is the heaven itself of the spiritual man, wherein the Lord dwells with that man. A. 9596.
Garments in the Word also signify truths. H. 129.
Since light signifies the Divine truth, and a garment the same it is therefore said — see verse 2. R. 166.
See Psalm xlv. 9. E. 195.
2, 3. Horses and chariots intellectuals and doctrinals of truth. A. 5321.
A chariot signifies doctrine. R. 437
2-4. By the light with which Jehovah is said to cover himself is signified the Divine truth in the heavens, which is called His garment, because it proceeds from Him as the sun, and so is without and about Him. E. 283.
3. Wings stand for the Divine truth and its power. A. 8764.
Waters signify truths, chambers doctrinal tenets and a chariot doctrine, all of which are called clouds, because they are from the literal sense of the Word. R. 24.
The wings of the wind are the Divine truths which flow in. R. 343.
See Psalm lxviii. 5. E. 36.
These few words are descriptive of heaven and the church, and at the same time, of doctrine from the Word. E. 594.
3, 4. By waters, clouds, and wings of the wind is signified Divine truth in ultimates, which is as the truth of the literal sense of the Word. Chariots stand for truth of doctrine. By verse 4 is understood making them receptacles of Divine truth and Divine good, angels those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, they being recipients of Divine truth. It is said, He makest them spirits. Ministers those in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and recipients of Divine good, hence He makest them a flaming fire. Fire the good of love and truth thence derived. E. 419. 4. A flaming fire stands for the celestial-spiritual. A. 934. To make angels spirits means receptacles of Divine truth, flaming fires receptacles of Divine good or Divine love. A. 9818. Angel-spirits are they who are in truths, and angel-ministers they who are in goods. A flaming fire signifies the good of love. R. 128. The wind of Jehovah in the Word signifies Divine truth, and His fire Divine good. E. 130. By Jehovah making His angels spirits is signified that they were recipients of Divine truth. By making His ministers a flaming fire that they are recipients of Divine good. E. 155.
Because the Divine truth is communicated to men also mediately by angels, it is therefore said, who maketh His angels spirits. E. 183.
By making His angels spirits is signified their being made recipients of Divine truths, consequently Divine truths themselves. His ministers a flame of fire — recipients of Divine good, consequently Divine good itself. E. 504.
5. Who laid the foundations of the earth,
That it should not be moved for ever.
6. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a vesture;
The waters stood above the mountains.
7. At thy rebuke they fled;
At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away
8. (The mountains rose, the valleys sank down)
Unto the place which thou hadst founded for them.
9. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over;
That they turn not again to cover the earth.
5, 6. See Psalm xxiv. 2. R. 238.
See Psalm xi. 2, 3. R. 902.
By the earth is here signified the church, the foundations are the knowledges of truth and good, the deep signifies sensual scientifics, which are the ultimate of the natural man, and because it is such, Jehovah is said to have covered it as with a garment. E. 275. 5-9. Of the sense of the letter of the Word, on which the church is founded. P. P.
5-10, 13. See Psalm xxxvi. 7. R. 336.
By these words, understood in the spiritual sense, is described the progress of regeneration, or the formation of the church in man. By verse 5 is signified the church in man with its boundaries or borders, and its terminations. By verse 6 is signified that they are encompassed or surrounded with scientifics in the natural man as to its interiors, where the spiritual things of the church reside. The deep signifies scientifics in general, and garments scientific truths which are surrounding and investing. By the waters stand above the mountains are signified falsities from the delights of the natural loves, which delights in themselves are evils. The mountains stand for the evils of those loves, and waters for falsities thence derived. Verse 7 means that falsities are dissipated by truths, and evils by goods from heaven. By verse 8 is signified that in the place of natural loves and of evils thence derived, are inserted celestial loves and the goods thence derived, and instead of falsities general truths are admitted. By verse 9 is signified that falsities and evils shall be kept without, separated from truths and goods, and limited that they may not flow in again and destroy. By verse 10 is signified that the Lord from the truths of the Word gives intelligence every thing of which originates in the good of celestial love. Springs signify the truths of the Word. By verse 13 is signified that all goods are nourished by truths from heaven, to water being predicated of truths. Mountains stand for the goods of love, and chambers for the heavens whence they flow. By the earth is satisfied is signified that from the Divine operation the church continually increases in man. The fruit of works, when predicated of the Lord, signifies the Divine operation, and the earth the church in man, the formation of which is here treated of. To be satisfied means continual increase. E. 405.
6. See Psalm xxxvi. 7. E. 538.
10, 11. Springs stand for knowledges, the beasts of the fields for goods, and wild-asses for the truths of reason. A. 1949.
10-12. Sending springs into the valleys signifies the giving of intelligence by truths derived from the Word, going up by the mountains their being grounded in the good of love. The instruction of those of the church who are in good is signified by the springs giving drink to every beast of the field, the instruction of the same who are in truths, by the wild-asses quenching their thirst. That thence the understanding is perfected is signified by verse 12. By the beasts of the field, in the spiritual sense, are understood the gentiles who are in the good of life, by wild asses natural truth, by thirst a desire for truths, by the birds of heaven thoughts from the understanding. E. 483.
10-23. From this all are taught, every one according to the state of his intelligence. P. P. 10-12, 14, 20-25. Treating of the Lord. The establishment of the church with the gentiles is described. By wild beasts, beasts and birds such things are signified as appertain to the man of the church. E. 650. 10-12, 16, 17. Such things as these would never have been said in the Divine Word, unless each of them were correspondences of things spiritual and celestial, and thence holy. By fountains are understood the truths of the Word, by rivers intelligence thence derived, by mountains the goods of love, by the wild beasts of the fields the affections of truth, by wild asses the rational, and by the birds of heaven thoughts from Divine truths. E. 1100.
13. He watereth the mountains from his chambers:
The earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
And herb for the service of man;
That he may bring forth food out of the earth,
15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man,
And oil to make his face to shine,
And bread that strengthened man's heart.
10, 11, 13. Fountains stand for truths, mountains for the love of good and truth, to give drink for instructing, beasts of the field for those who live from truths, wild asses for those who are only in rational truth. A. 2702.
10, 11, 14, 20, 25. See Psalm viii. 7-9. R. 567.
11, 12. See Psalm viii. 7-9. R. 757.
13. To water the mountains in the spiritual sense is to bless those who are in love to the Lord, and in love toward the neighbour, hence from His chambers is from the interior parts of heaven. A. 5694.
14. The beast stands for the wild animal of the earth, and at the same time for the fowl of the heavens. A. 58.
The herb stands for the produce of the field, and by it in the internal sense is here signified truth. A. 7571.
14. 15. See Psalm xxxvii. 35. E. 507.
14-16. Holy truth is signified by new wine and by wine R. 316.
Wine signifies the truth of the church. E. 376.
15. See Psalm xxiii. 5. A. 9954.
See Psalm xcii. 11. R. 779.
See Psalm xlv. 8. E. 375.
16. See Psalm i. 3. R. 400.
That a tree signifies man is evident. T. 468.
See Psalm i. 3. E. 109.
16 The all of love and of faith proceeds from the Lord, so also do all knowledges of good and truth which constitute and form love and faith proceed from Him. All these knowledges look to the Lord and proceed from Him. This is what is signified by the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, therefore all the trees in paradise are called trees of life, and in David trees of Jehovah. Every man in the midst of whom, that is, in whom is the Lord is understood. E. no.
16. The trees of Jehovah are filled with moisture,
The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17. Where the birds make their nests:
As for the stork, the fir-trees are her house.
18. The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the conies.
19. He appointed the moon for seasons:
The sun knoweth his going down.
20. Thou makest darkness, and it is night,
Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
16, 17. The trees of Jehovah, and the cedars of Lebanon stand for the spiritual man, the birds for his rational or natural truths, which are as nests. A. 776.
20. See Psalm lxxx. 14. A. 9335.
21. The young lions roar after their prey,
And seek their food from God.
22. The sun ariseth, they get them away,
And lay them down in their dens.
23. Man goeth forth unto his work
And to his labor until the evening.
24. O Jehovah, how manifold are thy works!
In wisdom hast thou made them all:
The earth is full of thy riches.
21, 22. See Psalm xxxiv. 10, n. A. 6367.
See Psalm xvii. 12. R. 241.
By these words is described the state of the angels of heaven, when they are not in intense love and in wisdom thence derived, and when they return into that state, the former state is described by lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their meat from God. By lions are understood the angels of heaven, by their roaring desire, by prey and food the good which is of love, and the truth which is of wisdom. By the sun arising is understood the Lord as to love and thence wisdom, by their gathering themselves together their return into a celestial state, and by lying down in their dens a state of tranquillity and peace.
25. Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
Wherein are things creeping innumerable,
Both small and great beasts.
26. There go the ships;
There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play
therein.
27. These wait all for thee,
That thou mayest give them their food in due season.
28. Thou givest unto them, they gather;
Thou openest thy hand, they are satisfied with good.
24-26. Here ships stand for inner knowledges and doctrines, that leviathan for the generals of outer knowledges. Because ships are inner knowledges and doctrines, it is said in Psalm cvii. 22-24 that they wrho go down to the sea in ships see the works of Jehovah, and His wonders in the deep, for they see these things who are in knowledges and doctrines from the Word. A. 6385.
24-27. Such things are meant as are with the men of the church, for these are they who wait for Jehovah. By the great wide sea is signified the external or natural man who receives goods and truths scientifically, great being predicated of the good, and wide or broad of the truth therein. By things creeping scientifics which are alive, by animals great and small the knowledges of good and truth of every kind, superior and inferior, in general and in particular. By ships are understood doctrines, by leviathan or whale all things of the natural man in the aggregate. It is said to play in the sea from the delight of knowing, and thereby becoming wise. As man by virtue of these things is affected with the desire of knowing and understanding it is therefore said — see verse 27. To wait or to expect means to desire, meat or food science and intelligence. Man himself does not desire these, but by virtue of such things as are with him from the Lord, consequently these are what desire in man, although it appears as if man desires from himself. E. 514.
24-30. From this are the knowledges of truth and good, from which is spiritual nourishment. P. P.
24, 25, 27, 28. Here in the internal sense by sea are meant spiritual things, by things creeping all things which live therefrom. Their enjoyment is signified by giving them food in due season, and by their being filled with good. A. 994.
25, 26. Sea in the internal sense stands for the aggregation of scientific truths, thus for what is external with man and in the church, ships for knowledges and doctrinals from the Word, leviathan for scientifics in general, and playing for the delight thence derived. A. 10416.
26, The knowledges of truth and good are signified by ships. R. 406.
See Psalm lxxiv. 14. E. 455.
27, 28. Here spiritual and celestial food is meant. A. 680.
Celestial and spiritual food is meant in the internal sense. A. 5147-
28, 30. See Psalm li. 12. R. 254.
28 See Psalm li. 12. T. 573.
See Psalm li. 12. T. 773.
That to create here stands for to reform is evident. By verse 28 is signified that they receive the good which flows from the Lord. By verse 30 that they are reformed as to life according to Divine truth and the establishment of the church. E. 294
See Psalm li. 12. Coro. 23
29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled;
Thou takest away their breath, they die,
And return to their dust.
30. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created;
And thou renewest the face of the ground.
31. Let the glory of Jehovah endure for ever-
Let Jehovah rejoice in his works:
32. Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth;
He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.
33. I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live:
I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34. Let my meditation be sweet unto him:
I will rejoice in Jehovah.
29. See Psalm xxii. 30. A. 278
See Psalm iv. 7. A. 10579
By the spirit is meant the life of man. L. 47
See Psalm xxvii. 8, 9. R. 939
To expire is frequently expressed in the Word by yield ing or giving out the spirit. E. 183
See Psalm xiii. 2. E. 412
29, 30. See Psalm xxxiii. 6. A. 97
See Psalm xxxiii. 6. A. 8286
See Psalm xxxiii. 6. A. 9229
Spirit in the general sense stands for the life of respiration of man. A. 9818
30. See Psalm cii. 19. A. 16
See Psalm cii. 19. A. 10373
The spirit of Jehovah is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, to be created means to be created anew,
that is to be regenerated, to renew the faces of the ground is to reform and establish the church, the faces of the ground signify wheresoever anything of the church can be received. A. 10570
See Psalm cii. 19. J. 4
See Psalm xxxi. 6. L. 49
31-35. May the good be saved and the evil perish! P. P
32. See Psalm lxxvii. 18, 19. A. 8816
See Psalm xviii. 9, 10. E. 539
35. By Hallelujah in the Hebrew language is signified "Praise God," thus it was an expression of thanksgiving, and confession, and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart. R. 803.
By Hallelujah in the original language is signified, praise ye God, consequently also, glorify ye the Lord. It was an expression of joy in confessions and worship.E. 1197.
Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)
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