1. Jehovah, how are mine adversaries increased!
Many are they that rise up against me.

 1-9. Respecting the Lord when He was in temptations and
subjugated the hells, and was then in a state of humiliation
in which He prayed to the Father. P. P.

 2. Many there are that say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God. [Selah
3. But thou, O Jehovah, art a shield about me;
My glory, and the lifter up of my head.

 2, 3. Enemies stand for evils and the falses thence derived,
for these are the adversaries in the spiritual sense.
A. 10481.

In various passages of the Word mention is made of
foes and enemies, and thereby are understood evils and
falses, by foes evils and by enemies falses; for the Word
in its interior is spiritual, wherefore no other than spiritual
foes and enemies can be there understood. E. 671.

 5. The Lord in heaven and hence heaven itself is called
"the habitation of holiness," and also "the mountain of
holiness," inasmuch as the Lord alone is holy. A. 9229.

By virtue of truths from the Lord the angels are called
holy, and the prophets likewise. Hence it is that Zion
was called the mountain of holiness. R. 586.

 5. I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for Jehovah sustaineth me.

 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people
That have set themselves against me round about.

 6, 7. To lay me down and sleep signifies a state of tranquillity
and security. A state of peace and tranquillity is
signified by lying down. A. 3696.

 7. Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God:
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek
bone;
Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.
8. Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah:

 8. That to inflict a blow or to smite the cheek means to
destroy truths is plain from passages in the Word, where
mention is made of smiting the cheek. And because in
the genuine sense it signifies the destruction of truth,
therefore in the opposite sense it signifies the destruction
of falsity, in which sense it occurs here. A. 9048.

The teeth of the wicked to be broken stand for the
falsities by which they destroy truths. A. 9052.

That teeth signify the ultimates of the life of man which
are called sensual things, which when they are separated
from the interiors of the mind are in mere falsities and
offer violence to truths, and destroy them, may be evident.
See also Psalm lvii. 4. R. 435.

By smiting the enemies on the cheek bone is signified
the destruction of interior falsities of those who are against
the goods and the truths of the church, such persons with
the falsities of their evils being understood by enemies in
the Word. To break the teeth of the ungodly signifies to
destroy exterior falsities, which are such as have their
foundation in the fallacies of the senses, and are thence
confirmed. E. 556.

Arise, O Jehovah, save me, O my God! D. P., Page 63.

 Thy blessing be upon thy people. [Selah

9. The blessing of Jehovah upon His people signifies the
influx and reception of good and truth. They are called
the people of Jehovah, who are in spiritual good. E. 340.

Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)