I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel,

and afterward receive me to glory. Psalm chapter 73, verses 23 and 24.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Book of Mormon Central, and today's podcast addresses the question,

Why does the psalmist speak about grasping God's hand?

Many passages in the Old Testament, but especially in the Psalms, refer to grasping the Lord's right hand.

For example, Psalm 139 describes how the Lord would

lead the Psalmist by the hand, and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalm 63 states, My soul

followeth hard after thee. Thy right hand upholdeth, held me. Psalm 73 similarly describes the psalmist following the Lord into a sacred space as he grasps

the Lord's hand. I am continually with thee. Thou hast holded me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with

thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory. These passages can be illuminated by an understanding of the concept referred to

as a divine embrace or divine hand clasp, which shows up frequently in ancient art, writings, and rituals.

Hugh Nibbley began drawing Latter-day Saints' attention to this material in the 1960s and 70s, and

inspired younger scholars like David Rolf Seeley, Stephen D. Ricks,

Matthew B. Brown, and David M. Chalabro, to further study this concept as it is expressed

in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and throughout the ancient world. Early depictions of a deity

grasping the hand of a king or a temple petitioner are found in Egyptian, Roman,

and early Christian artwork. These scenes are especially prevalent in the most sacred and to the

unauthorized inaccessible precincts of the temple in ancient Egypt, and may relate to coronation

or receiving the king into the presence of the gods. In early Christian writings, Hugh Nibbley has found traces of a hand clasp offered by the Lord

to his apostles.

They performed this hand clasp while forming a prayer circle, and Jesus is recorded as linking

this handclasp to his coming crucifixion.

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