1. O God, the nations are come into thine inheritance;
Thy holy temple have they defiled;
They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

 1, 2. Birds signify such things as are of the understanding
and thought, and thence of design, in both senses, as well
the bad as the good. - R. 757.

By the heathen or nations here mentioned are understood
evils of life and falsities of doctrine, for by the inheritance
of God is understood the church, in which the
Lord is all good and all truth, since both are all from
Him. Polluting the holy temple and laying Jerusalem
on heaps signifies to profane worship and pervert the
doctrine of the church. The holy temple signifies worship
because worship is therein performed, and Jerusalem
the church as to doctrine, thus the doctrine of the church.
By verse 2 is signified to destroy all truths by falsities and
goods by evil, the fowls of the heaven here standing for the
thoughts of what is false, and the beasts of the earth for
the affections for evil thence derived. E. 388.

Birds in the opposite sense signify fallacies arising
from the sensual man, also reasonings from falses against
truths, and also falses themselves. In many passages in
the Word mention is made of being given for food to the
birds and wild beasts. Thereby is signified to perish
entirely by fallacies, falses, and reasonings thence derived,
also by evil lusts and in general by falses and evils
from hell. E. 1100.

1-4. Falsifications of the Word and direful evils have destroyed
the church. P. P.

 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be
food unto the birds of the heavens.
The flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3. Their blood have they shed like water round about
Jerusalem;
And there was none to bury them.
4. We are become a reproach to our neighbors,
A scoffing and derision to them that are round about
us.
5. How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou be angry for ever?
Shall thy jealousy burn like fire ?
6. Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee
not,
And upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name.
7. For they have devoured Jacob,
And laid waste his habitation.

 2. Many a time it is said in the prophets that carcasses
should be given for meat to the fowl of the air and the
beast of the field — Jeremiah vii. 33 ; xix. 7 : Ezekiel xxix.
5, etc. By this was signified that they should be destroyed
by falsities, which are the fowls of the air, and by evils or
lusts, which are the beasts of the earth. A. 988.
By wild beasts and birds are signified falses arising
from the lust of evil and from reasoning. E. 650.
5. By blowing with the nostrils or breathing is signified
to be angry. A. 8286.

5, 6. See Psalm xxxvii. 1. A. 8875.

Zeal with the Lord is not wrath, it only appears in externals
as if it were, interiorly it is love. R. 216.

5-12. The cry of the church for help, that she be not destroyed
at the same time, and her prayer that those who
have ruined the church be removed. P. P.

 8 Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers:
Let thy tender mercies speedily meet us;
For we are brought very low.
9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy
name;
And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's
sake.
10. Wherefore should the nations say, Where is their God?
Let the avenging of the blood of thy servants which is
shed
Be known among the nations in our sight.
11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee:
According to the greatness of thy power preserve thou
those that are appointed to death;

  8. See Psalm viii. 5. A. 9849.

9. See Psalm xlix. 8. A. 9506.

11. See Psalm x. 15. A. 4933.

The prisoners stand for those who are in vastations
and temptations. A. 5037.

See Psalm lxviii. 7. R. 99.

See Psalm lxviii. 19. R. 591.

Many who were interiorly good were guarded by the
Lord, lest they should be infested by the dragon and his
beasts — Revelation xxi. The same are also meant by
the captives and those bound in the pit, and liberated by
the Lord. R. 884.

See Psalm lxviii. 19. E. 811.

 12. And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their
bosom
Their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee,
O Lord.

 12. The severities and increase of punishments were expressed
by seven. A. 395.

See Psalm xxxv. 13, add: to render into their bosom
meaning to themselves. A. 6960.

Seven-fold here stands for to the full. A. 9228.

Seven-fold means fully. R. 10.

Seven times here signifies fully. E. 257.

 13. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture
Will give thee thanks for ever:
We will show forth thy praise to all generations.

 13. See Psalm lxix. 31. A. 3880.

Thus there will be worship of the Lord. P. P.

Author: EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)