The Penitential Psalms
Above: Detail of illumination from Folio 66r from the Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry, 1405–1408/9. Herman, Paul, and Jean de Limbourg (Franco-Netherlandish, active in France by 1399–1416). French; Made in Paris. Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum; 9 3/8 x 6 5/8 in. (23.8 x 16.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1).
The Book of Psalms from the Hebrew Bible forms the backbone of a great deal of Christian liturgy, and the text of the psalms provided much of the text of a standard book of hours. In addition to the psalms embedded within various sections throughout the manuscript, many books of hours, including the Belles Heures, have a specific section dedicated to the seven penitential psalms (Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142 in the Douai translation). Read more »