617. Verse 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four animals and the elders, signifies the celebration and glorification of the Lord before Him and before the angels of the higher heavens. By "they sung a new song" is signified the acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord, that He alone is Judge, Redeemer, and Savior, thus the God of heaven and earth, see above (n. 279). "Before the throne" is before the Lord, because He alone sits upon the throne; that "before the four animals and the elders" is before the angels of the higher heavens (n. 369); by "as it were a new song," is signified the celebration and glorification of the Lord in the New Christian Heaven, here in particular that He is acknowledged as the God of heaven and earth, in like manner as in the ancient heavens. This is implied in the expression "as it were," for "as it were a new song," signifies as though it were new, when nevertheless it is not new. That the New Heaven mentioned in Revelation (chap. 21:1) is a New Heaven from Christians, and that the former heavens are from the ancient and most ancient people, also that the Lord is acknowledged in these heavens as the God of heaven and earth, has been said before.