'
53 of 226
Item info - Help -
Share
Psalterium Latinum
Commentary

PSALM XXXIX (40), f. 23r.
In the upper right-hand corner of the picture, the beardless, cross-nimbed Christ-Logos stands in a mandorla flanked by six angels. With His right hand He blesses (or addresses) the psalmist who appears to the left below standing upon a platform above a rock and is supported by an angel. Three demons (verse 13, (12)) with spears and tridents rush out of a pit behind him: 'He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock' (verse 3, (2)). The psalmist puts his hand to his mouth and looks up at a book which the angel holds up before him. This might be suggested by verse 4, (3): 'And he hath put a new song into my mouth.' Two women wearing diadems and carrying palms (the 'misericordia' and 'veritas' of verse 12, (11)) are approaching the psalmist from the right. They are similar to the personifications of mercy and truth of Psalm LXXXIV (85). Behind them to the right the 'great congregation' (verse 10, (9)) stands under a tabernacle before which is an empty altar. Somewhat below to the left, two men are dragging off two rams ('burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required' verse 7, (6)). Below the tabernacle is a group in which a king and queen are conversing. One of the group is pointing to another group preparing for a hunt with their hounds, their horses, and their falcon. These two groups are inspired by verse 5, (4): 'Beatus vir, cuius est nomen Domini spes eius, et non respexit in vanitates et insanias falsas.' To the left the enemy are being 'driven backward and put to shame' into a pit (verse 15, (14)).