2327、“脸伏于地下拜”表示谦卑。这是显而易见的，无需解释。在过去，尤其在代表性教会，人们弯腰下拜，并把腰弯得如此之低，以至于脸伏于地。原因在于，脸表示人的内层（358，1999节）。他们之所以俯伏在地，是因为地上的尘土表示亵渎和定罪的东西（278节）。所以他们以这种方式代表这一事实：凭自己，他们是亵渎和被定罪的。这就是为何他们脸伏于地下拜，甚至在尘土和灰中打滚，把尘土和灰撒在头上（可参看耶利米哀歌2:10；以西结书27:30；弥迦书1:10；约书亚记7:6；启示录18:19等）。
他们通过这些行为来代表真谦卑的状态；这种状态绝无可能存在，除非他们承认凭自己，他们是亵渎和被定罪的，因而凭自己无法仰望主，主那里只有神性和神圣之物。因此，一个人越承认自己是什么样，就越能拥有真正的谦卑，在敬拜时就越感受到爱慕。因为一切敬拜都必包含谦卑；如果敬拜与谦卑分离，爱慕、因而敬拜根本就不存在。
谦卑的状态之所以是敬拜本身至关重要的基本状态，是因为内心越谦卑，自我之爱和由此而来的一切邪恶就越止息；它们越止息，良善和真理，也就是仁和信就越从主流入内心。接受良善和真理的主要障碍是自我之爱，因为这爱含有与自己相比对他人的蔑视，以及对那些不尊敬自己之人的仇恨和报复，还含有无情和残忍，因而含有最坏的邪恶；良善和真理绝无可能被引入这些东西，因为它们彼此对立。
Potts(1905-1910) 2327
2327. He bowed himself with his face to the earth. That this signifies humiliation, may be seen without unfolding the meaning. The reason that in former times, especially in the representative churches, they bowed themselves so low that they let down the face to the earth, was because the face signified man's interiors (n. 358, 1999); and the reason they let it down to the earth was that the dust of the earth signified what is profane and condemned (n. 278); consequently they thus represented that of themselves they were profane and condemned. For the same reason they prostrated themselves, pressing the face to the earth, and even rolling themselves in dust and ashes, and also sprinkling dust and ashes upon their heads (as may be seen from Lam. 2:10; Ezek. 27:30; Micah 1:10; Josh. 7:6; Rev. 18:19; and elsewhere). [2] By all this they represented the state of true humiliation, which is possible to none unless they acknowledge that of themselves they are profane and condemned, and thus that they cannot of themselves look to the Lord, where there is nothing but what is Divine and Holy; on which account, so far as a man is in self-acknowledgment, so far he can be in true humiliation, and in adoration when in worship. For in all worship there must be humiliation; and if this is separated therefrom, there is nothing of adoration, thus nothing of worship. [3] That the state of humiliation is the essential state of worship itself, comes from the fact that so far as the heart is humbled, so far the love of self and all the evil therefrom ceases; and so far as this ceases, so far good and truth, that is, charity and faith, flow in from the Lord; for that which stands in the way of the reception of these is principally the love of self, in which there is contempt for others in comparison with one's self; hatred and revenge if self is not treated with honor; and also unmercifulness and cruelty; thus the worst evils of all; and into these good and truth can in no wise be introduced, for they are opposites.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2327
2327. 'And bowed down with his face towards the ground' means humiliation. This becomes clear without explanation. The reason why in the past, especially in the representative Churches, people would bow so far down that their faces touched the ground, was that 'the face' meant man's interiors, 358,1999. And they did so clown 'to the ground' because 'the dust of the ground' meant that which is profane and condemned, 278. In doing this they represented the fact that of themselves they were profane and condemned. They therefore prostrated themselves face downwards on the ground, indeed they wallowed in dust and ashes, and also cast dust or ashes over their heads, as becomes clear from Lam 2: 10; Ezek 27: 30; Micah 1: 10; Josh 7: 6; Rev 18: 19; and elsewhere.
[2] By these actions they represented a state of true humility, which can in no way exist unless people acknowledge that of themselves they are profane and condemned, and so of themselves are incapable of looking towards the Lord where everything is Divine and Holy. To the extent therefore that a person acknowledges his own condition he can possess true humility, and when engaged in worship can have real devotion. For all worship must contain humility, and if separated from it no adoration and so no worship at all is present.
[3] The reason a state of humility is vital to worship itself is that insofar as the heart is humbled self-love and all resulting evil come to an end; and insofar as these come to an end good and truth, that is, charity and faith, flow in from the Lord. For what above all else stands in the way of their being received is self-love. Indeed within self-love there lies contempt for all others in comparison with oneself; there lies hatred and revenge if one is not venerated most highly; and there lies mercilessness and cruelty within it, and thus the worst evils of all into which good and truth cannot possibly be introduced, since they are completely opposite.
Latin(1748-1756) 2327
2327. `Incurvavit se facies in terram': quod significet humiliationem, constare potest absque explicatione. Quod olim imprimis in Ecclesiis repraesentativus, incurvaverint se usque adeo ut demiserint faciem in terram, causa fuit quia `facies' significabat interiora hominis, n. 358, 1999; et quod `in terram,' quia `terrae pulvis' significabat profanum et damnatum, n. 278; proinde sic repraesentabant, quod ex se profani et damnati essent, ideo prosternebant se faciem premendo in terram, immo se in pulvere et {1} cinere volutando, tum quoque pulverem aut cinerem super caput spargendo, ut constare potest ex Thren. ii 10; Ezech. xxvii 30; Mich. i 10; Jos. vii 6; Apoc. xviii 19, et alibi. [2] Per haec repraesentabant statum verae humiliationis, qui nusquam dari potest nisi agnoscant quod ex se profani et damnati sint, et sic quod non spectare possint ex se ad Dominum, ubi nihil nisi Divinum et Sanctum; quare quantum homo in agnitione sui est, tantum potest in vera humiliatione esse, et tantum in adoratione cum est in cultu; nam in omni cultu erit humiliatio, quae si inde separatur, nihil adorationis est, ita nihil cultus. Quod status humiliationis sit essentialis ipsius cultus, inde est quia quantum cor humiliatur, tantum amor sui et omne malum inde cessat, et quantum hoc cessat, tantum influit bonum et verum, hoc est, charitas et fides, a Domino; nam quod obstat quin recipiantur, est principaliter amor sui, in hoc enim est contemptus aliorum prae se, est odium et vindicta si non colatur, estque immisericordia et crudelitas, ita omnium pessima mala in quae nusquam inferri potest bonum et verum, sunt enim opposita. @1 aut.$