<<  PSALM CXXXIII. >>

A Song of Ascents; of David.

1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2. It is like the precious oil upon the head,
That ran down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard;
That came down upon the skirt of his garments;
3. Like the dew of Hermon,
That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion:
For there Jehovah commanded the blessing,
Even life for evermore.

 

1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

1. See Psalm xviii. i. R. 279.
See Psalm xviii. 1. E. 326.
By brother is understood by the Lord the same as by neighbour, and by neighbour in the spiritual sense good in every complexity, which is the good of charity. E. 746. Good itself is the conjunction of good and truth. P. P.
1, 2. The comparative resemblance of such things is evident from the internal sense, in which the influx of good into truths is treated of, and thus their brotherhood is described, for oil stands for good, the head of Aaron for the inmost of good, the beard for the most external good, garments for truths, to descend for influx. Hence it is clear that here is signified the influx of goods from interiors to exteriors into truths, and conjunction there. A. 9806.

2. It is like the precious oil upon the head,
That ran down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard;
That came down upon the skirt of his garments;

1-3. Oil signifies celestial good. They anointed with it those who should discharge the duties of the priesthood, and their garments. R. 779.
By brethren are signified good and truth, for these are called brethren in the Word, therefore verse 1 signifies that all celestial good and delight are in the conjunction of good and truth, since they originate in that conjunction.
Verse 2 signifies that thence are derived every good and every delight of heaven, from inmost to ultimates, for the head stands for what is inmost and the beard for what is ultimate. Descending upon the skirts of his garments signifies the influx and conjunction of celestial good and spiritual good. This is said of Aaron, because by him was represented the Lord as to Divine good, for all good and all conjunction of good and truth are from Him. Verse 3 signifies this conjunction of good and truth, since the spiritual life of men and angels exists by virtue of that conjunction. E. 375.
2. The head is as the supreme or inmost in the heavens which descends and flows into the heavens which are beneath and produces and flows into them, therefore the head of man corresponds to the inmost heaven, the body to the loins to the middle heaven, and the feet to the ultimate heaven. The oil with which the priest was anointed flowed down from the crown of the head even to the body. A. 10011.
For the good of love flows into the truths of the external or natural man. P. P.

3. Like the dew of Hermon,
That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion:
For there Jehovah commanded the blessing,
Even life for evermore.

2, 3. Dew stands for the multiplication of truth from good, and the fructification of good by truth. A. 3579.
3. The subjects here treated of are the marriage of good and truth, and their fructification and multiplication. Both the former and the latter are understood by the dew of Hermon. The mountains of Zion upon which it descended signifies where the goods of celestial love are, wherefore it is also said — see end of verse. E. 340.
The truth of good is from heaven upon those who are in the church, in which is salvation. P. P.

Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)