Editorials
‘harps of gold’
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold.
Angels are depicted in several places in the Word as playing upon harps. This
isn’t to be taken literally, although I suppose there are harp players among
the musicians in heaven just as there are on earth. But the spiritual meaning
of “playing on a harp” is to express with joy the truth that the Lord is God –
as when the angel appeared to the shepherds and proclaimed: “For unto you
there is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
(Luke 2:11)
Angels are simply people who, during their lives on earth, went through
the process of spiritual regeneration, and now serve the Lord in helping others
to follow the path of life that leads to heaven. They play upon our affections and
thoughts, attuning them to heaven’s harmonious blend of love and wisdom, so
that the music of heaven may resound on earth.
Heaven is distinguished into two kingdoms, which the Writings call
“celestial” and “spiritual.” These correspond to the two parts of the human
mind, the will and the understanding – the first being especially responsive
to Divine love and goodness, the second to wisdom and the truths by which
love makes itself known. It is angels of the lower or “spiritual” heaven, closer to
earth, who are said to play upon harps.
Truths are distinct, particular, “discrete” – like the strings of instruments
such as harps, which represent an affection for truth, or worship of the Lord
from that affection.
Good, on the other hand, is more flowing and “continuous,” and worship
inspired by it is represented by wind instruments, the sound of which has a
more “celestial” quality.
Although a harp is a stringed instrument, and thus belongs to the “spiritual”
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