<<  PSALM CVII. >>

1. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;
For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
2. Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so,
Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
3. And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
4. They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way;
They found no city of habitation.
5. Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6. Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he delivered them out of their distresses,
7. He led them also by a straight way,
That they might go to a city of habitation.
8. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9. For he satisfieth the longing soul,
And the hungry soul he filleth with good.
10. Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Being bound in affliction and iron,
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And contemned the counsel of the Most High:
12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
13. Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saved them out of their distresses.
14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of
death,
And brake their bonds in sunder.
15. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16. For he hath broken the gates of brass,
And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17. Fools because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of food;
And they draw near unto the gates of death.
19. Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saveth them out of their distresses.
20. He sendeth his word, and healeth them,
And delivereth them from their destructions.
21. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22. And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare his works with singing.
23. They that go down to the sea in ships,
That do business in great waters;
24. These see the works of Jehovah,
And his wonders in the deep.
25. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,
Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to
the depths:
Their soul melteth away because of trouble.
27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits' end.
28. Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29. He maketh the storm a calm,
So that the waves thereof are still.
30. Then are they glad because they are quiet;
So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness.
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32. Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise him in the seat of the elders.
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness,
And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
34. A fruitful land into a salt desert,
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35. He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into watersprings.
36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city of habitation,
37. And sow fields, and plant vineyards,
And get them fruits of increase.
38. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied
greatly;
And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39. Again, they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
40. He poureth contempt upon princes,
And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there
is no way.
41. Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction,
And maketh him families like a flock.
42. The upright shall see it, and be glad;
And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43. Whoso is wise will give heed to these things;
And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah.

 

1. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;
For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
2. Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so,
Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
3. And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

1-3. A new church which the Lord has redeemed. P. P.
2. See Psalm xix. 15. R. 281.
See Psalm xix. 15. R. 613.
See Psalm xliv. 27. E. 328.
The redeemed of Jehovah here signify those who are defended from evils, from the hand of the enemy those whom He has liberated from falsities. E. 328.
The redeemed of Jehovah whom He redeemed from the hand of the enemy. D. P. Page 87.
2-4. Said of those who are in ignorance of good and truth. From the east and from the west stands for those in ignorance of good, from the north and from the south for those in ignorance of truth. Of those in ignorance of good it is said that they wandered in the wilderness, and of those in ignorance of truth, that they wandered in a desert way. Concerning the ignorance of both—they found no city of habitation. City signifies a doctrinal of truth.
A. 3708.
2, 4, 5, 7. By cities in the spiritual sense are meant doctrines. R. 194.
3. See Psalm 1. 1. E. 422.

4. They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way;
They found no city of habitation.
5. Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6. Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he delivered them out of their distresses,
7. He led them also by a straight way,
That they might go to a city of habitation.
8. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Verse 4 signifies that they were in want of the knowledges of truth and good, and that there was no doctrine of truth according to which they might live. By the hungry and thirsty are meant they who were in the desire of knowing good and truth. Verse 7 means to lead them into genuine truth and into the doctrine of life. E. 223.
4. Those who have been in desolation of truth and are being reformed are treated of. A. 2708.
4-7. By a wilderness a state of temptation is signified, in which a man is as if it were without truths, because he is surrounded by evil spirits who bring temptation, and then as if it were take away truths from him. R. 546.
These words are spoken in general concerning those who are redeemed, specifically concerning the sons of Israel in the wilderness. The temptations of such as are regenerating by the Lord are thereby described. By the city in verse 4 is signified the doctrine of life which constitutes the church in man, and since the church is formed in man by a life according to doctrine through the means of temptations, it is said that Jehovah led them in the way of right, that they might go to a city of habitation. The defect or want of truth even to despair, and yet a desire for it, is signified by their being hungry and thirsty, and their soul fainting in the way. E. 730.
4-8. They are in falsities of ignorance, but in a desire for truth and good. P. P.

9. For he satisfieth the longing soul,
And the hungry soul he filleth with good.
10. Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Being bound in affliction and iron,
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And contemned the counsel of the Most High:
12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
13. Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saved them out of their distresses.
14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of
death,
And brake their bonds in sunder.
15. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

8, 9. Here the longing soul signifies those who desire truths, and the hungry soul those who desire goods. E. 386.
8, 9, 35-37. See Psalm xxxiii. 18, 19. R. 323.
9. Meaning those who desire knowledge. A. 1460.
9-15. They are in ignorance and in lack of truth. P. P.

16. For he hath broken the gates of brass,
And cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17. Fools because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of food;
And they draw near unto the gates of death.
19. Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he saveth them out of their distresses.
20. He sendeth his word, and healeth them,
And delivereth them from their destructions.
21. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22. And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare his works with singing.
23. They that go down to the sea in ships,
That do business in great waters;
24. These see the works of Jehovah,
And his wonders in the deep.
25. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,
Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to
the depths:
Their soul melteth away because of trouble.

16. Gates signify firmness and protection, and staves or bars the power which is of truth derived from good. A. 9496.
16-21. They have no spiritual nourishment, although they will have it through the Word. P. P.
20. From their pits meaning from falsities. See also Psalm xl. 2. A. 4728.
"He sent His word." The Word in the supreme sense is the Lord as to Divine truth, or what is the same, the Word is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. A. 9987.
21,22. See Psalm xl. 7, 8. A. 2180.
See Psalm lxix. 31. A. 3880.
22-24. See Psalm civ. 24-26. A. 6385.
22-31. When they were in knowledges they were admitted into temptations, and preserved. P. P.
23, 24. See Psalm xlviii. 5, 7, 8. R. 406.
In verse 23 those are signified who intensely study the doctrine of truth from the Word. Verse 24 signifies that they understand the truths and goods of heaven and the church, and the hidden things thereof. The works of Jehovah stand for all things of the Word which perfect man, and all of which have reference to good and truth. The wonders in the deep meaning the hidden things of intelligence and wisdom. E. 514.
23, 25, 29. These things are said concerning temptations and liberations from them. By verse 25 are signified temptations, since spiritual temptations are caused by the irruption of falsities into the thoughts, whence arise remorse of conscience and grief of mind. Liberation from them is signified by verse 29. E. 419.
25, 29. See Psalm xi. 6. R. 343.

27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits' end.
28. Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble,
And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29. He maketh the storm a calm,
So that the waves thereof are still.
30. Then are they glad because they are quiet;
So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31. Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness.
And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

27. Those who are not in the faith of charity wish only to reason whether a thing be so, and to know how it is, saying that unless they can know how it is, they cannot believe it to be so. They not only doubt about all things, but also deny in their hearts. When they are instructed how it is they still cling to their disbelief, and arouse all
their objections and never acquiesce, were it to eternity. They are such as are called in the Word drunken with
wine or strong drink. A. 1072. See Psalm lxxv. 9. R. 721.

32. Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise him in the seat of the elders.
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness,
And watersprings into a thirsty ground;
34. A fruitful land into a salt desert,
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
 35. He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into watersprings.
36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city of habitation,
37. And sow fields, and plant vineyards,

32. The congregation of the elders stands for those who are in intelligence which is of wisdom, for wisdom is of life, thus of good, but intelligence is of knowledges, thus of truth. A. 6524.
33. Rivers signify truths in abundance. R. 409.
Intelligence and the knowledge of truth shall perish. E. 518.
33, 34. Because lusts and falsities are what lay a man waste, that is deprive him of all the life of the love of good and of affection for truth, vastation is described in many passages by saltness. A. 1666.
The fruitful land turned into a salt desert stands for the vastation of good in truth. A. 2455.
Salt in the opposite sense signifies the destruction and vastation of truth. A. 9207.
See Psalm lxv. 13, 14. R. 546.
35, 36. The illustration of the gentiles is treated of. Lake of waters signifies truths in abundance appertaining to the natural man, by the hungry in the -Word are understood those who desire truths. A city of habitation signifies that from those truths they may make for themselves doctrine of life. E. 730.
33, 34, 39, 40. Song in praise of the Lord, that those who were of the devastated church have been rejected. P. P.
33, 35. Waters, rivers and depths from the rock — the Lord, see Psalm lxxviii. 15, 16 — stand for truths from Him. A. 2702.
The regeneration of those who are in ignorance of truth, or the gentiles, and the enlightenment and instruction of those who are in desolation is treated of. The wilderness is predicated of these. A. 2708.
Pools signify knowledges serving truths which are of doctrine, and in the opposite sense serving falsities of doctrine. Pools, where they are named in the Word, in the spiritual sense signify intelligence from knowledges of good and truth, for pools there stand for waters gathered together, and lakes are in the complex knowledges by which comes intelligence. A. 7324.
35, 36. By a lake is signified where there is truth in abundance. R. 835.
By a wilderness is signified a vastated church, or one in which all the truths of the Word are falsified. R. 546.
33, 34. By the rivers laid into a wilderness is signified intelligence from the understanding of truth, and also of
the Word as to its interior sense devastated by falses from evil. Rivers such things as are from intelligence, a wilderness where such things are not. The going forth of waters into drought means that the ultimates of understanding, called the knowledges of truth and good, are without all light and spiritual affection for truth. Waters stand for truths, drought the deprivation thereof by reason of there being no light and affection, the going forth — the ultimates thereof, such as are the truths of the literal sense of the Word. Saltness stands for the devastation of truth by falses, and as all devastation is by falses from the evil of the life, it is added, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. E. 730.
35-37 See Psalm lxvii. 6-8. A. 9272.
35 They who are in ignorance of the knowledges of truth, and yet desire to know them, shall be greatly enriched therewith. By Jehovah turning the wilderness into a standing water is signified that where ignorance of truth existed, there shall be abundance of it. By dry ground into water springs is signified the same effect produced in the natural man. By making the hungry to dwell there is signified that they who desire truth shall live thereby. To prepare a city of habitation signifies to form for themselves a doctrine of life. Verse 37 means
to receive truths, to understand them, and to do them. (This paragraph is given in extract only.) E. 386.
35-38, 41-43. And that those who are of the new church have been accepted, with whom truths and goods will be multiplied. P. P.

And get them fruits of increase.
38. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied
greatly;
And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39. Again, they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
40. He poureth contempt upon princes,
And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there
is no way.
41. Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction,
And maketh him families like a flock.
42. The upright shall see it, and be glad;
And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43. Whoso is wise will give heed to these things;
And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah.

37. Vineyard signifies the spiritual church. E. 919.
37-39. The whole of this Psalm treats about the advent of the Lord and redemption from Him. That they shall then possess truths whereby the church shall be implanted with them, and that thence they shall possess the goods of the church whence truths shall grow and increase is signified by verse 37, and by the first clause of verse 38. The remainder of verse 38 signifies that in this case every good affection of the natural man shall remain with them. That otherwise those affections would have perished by evils is signified by verse 39. E. 650.

.Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)