276. Having everyone of them harps, signifies confession of the Lord's Divine Human from spiritual truths. It is known that confessions of Jehovah were made in the temple at Jerusalem by singing, and at the same time by instruments of music which corresponded; the instruments were principally trumpets and timbrels, and psalteries and harps; the trumpets and timbrels corresponded to celestial goods and truths, and the psalteries and harps to spiritual goods and truths; the correspondences were with their sounds. What celestial good and truth is, and what spiritual good and truth, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell (n. 13-19, and 20-28). That "harps" signify confessions of the Lord from spiritual truths, may appear from these passages:
Confess to Jehovah with the harp, sing unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings (Ps. 33:2).
I will confess to Thee on the harp, O God, my God (Ps. 43:4).
I will confess to Thee on the instrument of the psaltery, I will sing unto Thee with the harp, O Thou Holy One of Israel (Ps. 71:22).
Arouse me psaltery and harp, I will confess Thee among the nations, O Lord (Ps. 57:8, 9; 108:2-4).
Answer to Jehovah by confession, play on the harp to our God (Ps. 147:7).
It is good to confess to Jehovah upon the psaltery, and upon higgaion on the harp (Ps. 92:2-4).
Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah all the earth, sing unto Jehovah with the harp, with the harp and the voice of singing (Ps. 98:4-6; and in many other places; as Ps. 43:4; 137:2; Job 30:31; Isa. 24:7-9; 30:31, 32; Rev. 14:2; 18:22).
Because "the harp" corresponded to confession of the Lord, and evil spirits could not endure it, therefore David by the harp caused the evil spirit to depart from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-16, 23). That they were not harps, but that confessions of the Lord were heard by John as harps, may be seen below (n. 661).