« | Psalm 141 | » |
1 [A Psalme of Dauid.] O God I call vpon thee, haste thee vnto me: geue eare vnto my voyce whylest I crye vnto thee.
2 Let my prayer be directed before thy face [as] an incense: let the liftyng vp of mine handes [be] an euenyng sacrifice.
3 Set a watch O God before my mouth: and kepe the doore of my lippes.
4 Inclyne not myne heart to any euyll thyng, wherby I myght commit any vngodly act with men that be workers of iniquitie: and let me not eate of their delicates.
5 I wishe that the ryghteous woulde smite me and reproue me: for it is louing kyndnesse. (141:6) But let not pretious baulmes breake mine head: for as yet euen my prayer is agaynst their wickednesse.
6 (141:7) Let their iudges be thrust downe headlong from a rocke: then they wyll heare my wordes, for they be sweete.
7 (141:8) Our bones lye scattered vpon the graues mouth: lyke as when one breaketh and heweth [wood] vpon the earth.
8 (141:9) For mine eyes loke vnto thee O God the Lorde: in thee is my trust, cast not my soule out [of me.]
9 (141:10) Kepe me from the snare which they haue layde foorth for me: and from the trappes of them that be workers of iniquitie.
10 (141:11) Let the vngodly fall together into their owne nettes: but let me in the meane season alwayes escape [them.]
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.