662. Verse 3. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, signifies confession from charity, thus from the life according to the commandments of the Law, which is the Decalogue, and from faith in the Divinity of the Lord's Human. That "to sing a new song" is to confess, from joy of heart and from affection, that the Lord alone is the Savior, the Redeemer, and the God of heaven and earth, may be seen above (n. 279, 617). Here, however, it is not called "a new song," but "the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb," and by "the song of Moses" is signified confession from life according to the commandments of the Law, which is the Decalogue, thus from charity, and by "the song of the Lamb," confession from faith concerning the Divinity of the Lord's Human; for by "the Lamb" is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human (269, 291, 595), and by "Moses" is meant, in a wide sense, all the Law written in his five books, and in a restricted sense, the Law which is called the Decalogue. And because this serves man for life, it is called "the song of Moses, the servant of God," for by "a servant," in the Word, is meant one who serves and that which serves (n. 380), here for life.
[2] The reason why by "Moses," in a wide sense, is meant the Law, is because his five books are called "the Law." That all the commandments, judgments, and statutes given by him in his five books are called "the Law," may be seen above (n. 417). That everything written in those books is called "the Law of Moses," and also "Moses," may appear from the following passages:
Philip* said, We have found Jesus, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write (John 1:45).
In the Law Moses commanded that such should be stoned (John 8:5).
The days of their purification, according to the Law of Moses, were fulfilled (Luke 2:22).
All things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets concerning Me (Luke 24:27, 44).
Did not Moses give you the Law? Moses gave circumcision; that the Law of Moses should not be broken (John 7:19, 22-23).
Abraham said to the rich man in hell, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them; if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rose from the dead (Luke 16:29, 31).
The curse is poured upon us and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God; as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this evil hath come upon us (Dan. 9:11, 13).
Remember the Law of Moses the servant of God, which I commanded him (Mal. 4:4).
Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, I will come unto thee in the mist of a cloud, that the people may hear when I shall speak unto thee, and may also believe in thee forever (Exod. 19:9).
[3] It may be evident from these passages, that by "Moses" in the wide sense is meant the Word that was written by him, which is called the Law. It follows from this, that the Law which is the Decalogue is meant by "Moses"; and the more so, because Moses hewed out the tables after he had broken the former ones (Exod. 34:1, 4); and when he carried them down, his face was radiant (Exod. 34:29-35); on which account Moses is represented in pictures holding these tables in his hand. It is also said in Mark:
Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother (Mark 7:10).
And Joshua wrote a copy of the Law of Moses upon the stones of the altar (Josh. 8:32).
That Law was the Decalogue. From these things it may be seen, that nothing else is here meant by "the song of Moses the servant of God," but confession from charity, and thus from life according to the commandments of the Law, which are the Decalogue.
* The original Latin has "Nathaniel."