Saturday, December 22, 2012

Justice and peace kiss

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Robert Geiss invites all to try their hand at illustrating the Psalms.
Every Sunday at PsalmChallenge, centered in Athens. 

The illuminations in the Stuttgart Psalter, made in 920-930 in Northern France,  are a feast for the eyes; they are, however, a Christian  interpretation.

For instance, the wonderful verse in today's Psalm 85,  "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other," is illustrated by what is generally thought to be the Visitation (the visit of Mary to Elisabeth that I posted about yesterday).
The verse is so compact in Hebrew:
 חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ:  Chesed and emet  meet; tsedek and shalom  kiss.

PSALM 85
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah
3You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.
4Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us.
5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

6Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?
7Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
8Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.


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9Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
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Translation: NRSV.
* PHOTO:  From the Stuttgarter Psalter.  
See also in a more enlargeable format at the DFG-Viewer of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
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As always, Rabbi Benjamin Segal's commentary on the psalm is helpful.
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5 comments:

  1. So beautiful art to that verse no 10.
    and this translation.

    Wish you a blessed Sunday:-)

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  2. Sons of Korah inscription from Arad: http://www.imj.org.il/imagine/collections/item.asp?itemNum=369836

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  3. Spiderdama, all the pictures in that old Psalter are so beautiful and interesting. You can see them all online.

    Dr. M, thanks! That is an exciting piece of pottery. How I'd love to find an ostracon.

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  4. Thank you for this 'travel' through time and introduction to something I did not know before.

    Thank you as well for your kind participation very much. Please have a wonderful start into the new week.

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  5. Dina, thank you for this interesting illustration for the Psalm.

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