Psalms Word & Image: Psalm 47 and the Art of Thrones

Cathedra Petri (The Chair of Saint Peter/Throne of Saint Peter), St. Peter's Basilica, Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Psalm 47

 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Ashanti Golden Stool

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For the Lord Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

Throne of Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski at Warsaw Royal Castle

God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.

Queen Christina's Silver Throne, the Royal Throne of Sweden

God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
The princes of the people have gathered together,
The people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.

The Emperor’s Throne in the Hall of Preserving Harmony, Forbidden City, Beijing, China

 

Holy Week- Old Testament Word & Image: Psalm 118 & the Terracotta Army of Xi'an, China

Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Xi'an, China

Psalm 118

 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

 

 

Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

 

 

 

I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
 

 

All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.^[a]

 

The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

 

Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.

 

 

I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

 

The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

 













Save now, I pray, O Lord;

O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
God is the Lord,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
 

 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.