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.
Had taken - `took.'
Fell down before the Lamb - who shares worship and the throne with the Father.
Harps - A B, Syriac, Coptic, read, 'a harp:' a guitar, played with the hand or a quill.
Vials - `bowls:' censers.
Odours - `incense.'
Prayers of saints - as the angel offers them (Revelation 8:3), with incense (cf. Psalms 141:2): not the least sanction to Rome's dogma of praying to saints. Though they be employed by God in some way unknown to us to present our prayers (nothing is said of their interceding for us), yet we are told to pray only to Him (Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8-9). Their own employment is praise (whence they all have harps): ours is prayer.