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1 [To the chiefe musition vpon (an instrument) of eyght stringes, a psalme of Dauid.] Saue thou [me] O God, for there is not one godly man left: for the faythfull are diminished from among the chyldren of men.
2 Euery one vseth vayne talke with his neyghbour: and speaketh with a double heart out of flatteryng lippes.
3 God wyll cut away all flatteryng lippes: [and] the tongue that speaketh great thinges.
4 Whiche say, we wyll preuayle with our tongue: our lippes are our owne, who is Lorde ouer vs?
5 For the calamities of the oppressed, for the deepe sighyng of the poore, I wyll nowe vp sayeth God: and I wyll put in safetie, [hym] whom the [wicked] hath snared.
6 The wordes of God be wordes pure, as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth: and purified seuen times.
7 [Wherfore] thou wylt kepe the godly, O God: thou wylt preserue euery one of them from this generation for euer.
8 The vngodly walke on euery side: when the worst sort be exalted amongst the chyldren of men.
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.