616. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps, signifies confession of the Lord from joy of heart by the spiritual angels in the lower heavens. To harp upon the harp signifies to confess the Lord from spiritual truths, see above (n. 276); that this is from joy of heart follows; hence by "harpers" are signified spiritual angels. The reason why they are angels of the lower heavens, is because the voice of the Lord through the higher heavens was heard as "the voice of many waters," and as "the voice of great thunder" (n. 614, 615). There was heard "a voice of harpers harping upon harps," because sound or speech descending from the lower heavens is sometimes heard like the sound of harps; not that they are harping upon harps, but because the voice of confession of the Lord from joy of heart is so heard below.
