Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Study Note
Study Note
'And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints' — the heavenly liturgy following the Lamb's reception of the seven-sealed scroll (5:6–7) identifies the prayers of the earthly saints as the 'incense' of the heavenly Temple. The identification of incense with prayers draws on Psalm 141:2 ('Let my prayer be counted as incense before you') and Revelation 8:3–4, where the same imagery appears at the opening of the seals. The harps (kitharas) connect this scene to the Levitical psalmody and position the heavenly worship as the completion of what Israel's Temple liturgy foreshadowed. The verse establishes that the prayers of the church on earth are not separate from but constitutively part of the heavenly worship — a profound theology of intercessory prayer as cosmically significant.
Other Translations
And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, having each one harps and golden vials full of perfumes, which are the prayers of the saints,
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty rulers went down on their faces before the Lamb, having every one an instrument of music, and gold vessels full of perfumes, which are the prayers of the saints.
Cross References
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, …
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, …
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory …
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: …
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great …
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of …
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much …
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for …
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for …