8339. 'With timbrels and with dances' means praise from joy and gladness. This is clear from the meaning of 'timbrel' as that which has regard to an affection for spiritual good, or to the good of truth, and means the delight or joy belonging to it, dealt with just above in 8337; and from the meaning of 'dance' as that which has regard to an affection for spiritual truth, and means the delightful feeling or gladness belonging to it, dealt with below. In ancient times not only musical instruments and singing served to bear witness to gladness of heart but also dancing. Joyful feelings in the heart or interior things erupted into various activities in the body, such as singing and also dancing. Since in ancient times the glad feelings excelling all others were spiritual ones, that is, feelings springing from affections belonging to spiritual kinds of love, which were affections for goodness and truth, people were allowed, when they engaged in singing and musical harmony, to dance as well and so in dancing also to bear witness to their joy. This explains why 'dancing' is mentioned in the Word, meaning the glad feelings that belong to affections for truth, or to faith grounded in good or charity, as in Jeremiah,
Again you will adorn your timbrels,a and will go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Their lifeb will become like a watered garden, and they will not sorrow any more. Then will the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together. Jer 31:4, 12, 13.
In the same prophet,
The joy of our heart has ceasedc, our dance has been turned into mourning. Lam 5:15
In David,
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. Ps 30:11.
In the same author,
Let them praise His name in dancing, with timbrel and harp let them make melody to Him. Ps 149:3; 150:4.
Also the gentiles played and danced when they worshipped their gods, as is clear in Exod 32:6, 19.
[2] The words 'joy and gladness' are used because 'joy' in the Word has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth. This is why 'joy' and 'gladness' are mentioned many times in the Word both together, as in Isaiah,
Behold, joy and gladness consist in slaying oxen ... Isa 22:13.
In the same prophet,
They will obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isa 35:10.
In the same prophet, Joy and gladness will be found in Zion, confession and the voice of song. Isa 51:3, 11.
In Jeremiah,
The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. Jer 33:
In Zechariah,
The fast of the tenth [month] will be to the house of Judah one of joy and gladness. Zech 8:19.
In David,
You shall cause me to hear joy and gladness. Ps 51:8.
In these places both are mentioned because 'joy' has reference to good and 'gladness' to truth; if this were not so the use of one word would have been sufficient. This holy way of speaking is used in the Word in order that the heavenly marriage, that is, the marriage of goodness and truth, might be present in every detail there, 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 7945.
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