« | Psalm 118 | » |
1 O confesse you [it] vnto God, for he is gratious: and his mercie endureth for euer.
2 Let Israel nowe confesse: that his mercie endureth for euer.
3 Let the house of Aaron nowe confesse: that his mercie endureth for euer.
4 Let them nowe that feare God: confesse that his mercie endureth for euer.
5 I called vpon the Lorde beyng in distresse: and the Lorde hath hearde me at large.
6 God is with me: I wyll not feare what man can do vnto me.
7 God is with me amongst them that ayde me: [therfore] I shall see [my desire] vpon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in God: then to put any confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in God: then to put any confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me rounde about: [but I trusted] in the name of God that I shoulde destroy them.
11 They kept me in on euery syde, they kept me in I say on euery syde: [but I trusted] in the name of God that I shoulde destroy them.
12 They swarmed about me lyke bees, and they be extinguished as the fire [made] of thornes: [for I trusted] in the name of God that I should destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall: but God dyd ayde me
14 The Lorde is my strength and my song: and he is become my saluation.
15 The voyce of a ioyfull noyse & of saluation is in the dwellynges of the ryghteous: [saying] the ryght hande of God bryngeth mightie thynges to passe.
16 The ryght hande of God is on hygh: the right hande of God bryngeth mightie thynges to passe.
17 I shall not [as yet] dye, but I shal liue: and I wyll declare the workes of the Lorde.
18 The Lorde hath greatly chastened me: but he hath not geuen me ouer vnto death.
19 Open me the gates of ryghteousnesse, I wyll enter in by them: that I may geue thankes vnto the Lorde.
20 This is the gate of God: the ryghteous shall enter in by it.
21 I wyll thanke thee for that thou hast heard me: and art become my saluation.
22 The same stone which the buylders refused: is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This was the doyng of God: and it is marueylous in our eyes.
24 This is the day whiche God hath made: we wyll reioyce and be glad in it.
25 O God I pray thee nowe saue [vs]: O God I pray thee nowe geue [vs] prosperous successe.
26 Blessed be he that commeth in the name of God: we do blesse you out of the house of God.
27 It is the Lord God who hath geuen vs lyght: bynde a sacrifice with cordes vnto the hornes of the aulter.
28 Thou art my Lorde, and I wyll confesse it vnto thee: thou art my Lorde and I wyll magnifie thee.
29 O confesse you [it] vnto God, for he is gratious: and his mercie endureth for euer.
The Bishop’s Bible (BB)
The Bishop’s Bible (BB) is a significant English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1568 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It was commissioned by the Church of England as a revision of the Great Bible and as a response to the Geneva Bible, which was popular among the Puritans but contained marginal notes that were considered politically and theologically contentious by the Anglican establishment. The primary goal of the Bishop’ s Bible was to create a translation that would be more acceptable to the ecclesiastical authorities and suitable for use in Anglican churches.
One of the distinguishing features of the Bishop’s Bible is its effort to maintain a high level of accuracy and scholarly integrity while also ensuring that the language used was dignified and appropriate for public reading. The translation was undertaken by a team of bishops and other scholars, hence its name. The translators aimed to preserve the poetic and literary qualities of the original texts, drawing on previous translations such as the Tyndale Bible, the Coverdale Bible, and the Great Bible, while also incorporating their scholarly insights and linguistic refinements.
The Bishop’s Bible was notable for its large, folio format, which was designed to be read from the pulpit. It included extensive marginal notes, though these were more restrained and less controversial than those found in the Geneva Bible. The translation also featured elaborate illustrations and maps, as well as a comprehensive introduction and various prefaces that provided context and guidance for readers. Despite its grandeur and scholarly merit, the Bishop’s Bible did not achieve the widespread popularity of the Geneva Bible among the general populace.
Although the Bishop’s Bible played an essential role in the religious and cultural life of Elizabethan England, it was eventually overshadowed by the King James Version (KJV), which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. The KJV drew heavily on the Bishop’ s Bible, as well as other earlier translations, but ultimately surpassed it in both scholarly rigor and literary quality. Nonetheless, the Bishop’s Bible remains an important milestone in the history of English Bible translations, reflecting the theological and political currents of its time and contributing to the development of subsequent translations.