The Pentacles

The 6th Pentacle of Jupiter

Psalm 22’s words about pierced hands and feet surround a promise of preservation from earthly danger. Four elemental rulers fill the cross, while the notice ties protection to daily devotion and repetition of the verse. [1]

Mathers 1889 · Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 62; figure 23, Plate V; plate PDF page 76

Pentacle profile

Tradition and Group: Mathers 1889 · Jupiter [1]
Position within the Set: Pentacle 6 · figure 23 · plate V [1]
Attributed Purpose: For protection against all earthly dangers through daily devout contemplation and repetition of the surrounding verse; the notice promises preservation from perishing. [1]
Design: A broad cross holds Seraph, Kerub, Ariel and Tharsis in its arms, inside Psalm 22:16–17.

[1]

A broad outlined cross touches the inner circle. Hebrew names run vertically in its upper and lower arms and horizontally in the side arms, enclosed by a Hebrew verse band and small upper hexagram. — **Source reproduction** The 6th Pentacle of Jupiter: four elemental rulers in a broad cross, within Psalm 22’s pierced-body words. Mathers 1889, Plate V, figure 23; notice on p. 62.

Protection with daily attention

The sixth Jupiter pentacle is said to protect against all earthly dangers. The notice attaches this promise to regarding it devoutly each day and repeating the verse that surrounds it, then declares that the bearer will never perish. [1]

Four rulers in the cross

A broad outlined cross reaches the inner circle. Seraph occupies the upper arm, Kerub the left, Tharsis the right and Ariel the lower. The names lie horizontally in the side arms and vertically above and below. Mathers identifies these as four rulers of the elements. A small six-pointed star heads the surrounding Hebrew verse band. [1]

The exposed body of Psalm 22

The selected words are Psalm 22:16–17: pierced hands and feet, followed by “I may tell all my bones”—the speaker can count them. The full passage presents surrounding enemies, weakened strength, onlookers staring at the body and people dividing the speaker’s garments. These words of bodily distress enclose the pentacle’s promise of preservation. [1][2]

Sources and editions

The Key of Solomon the King · The 6th Pentacle of Jupiter
S. L. MacGregor Mathers, 1889; printed edition, including editorial restoration of Hebrew characters. Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 62; figure 23, Plate V; plate PDF page 76; Complete Jupiter notices and notes, printed pp. 61–63 (PDF pp. 74–75, 80); general Book I VIII pp. 39–41 and XVIII pp. 56–57
Psalm 22:14–18 · The exposed and wounded body
King James Version, public-domain biblical text. Psalm 22:14–18

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