« | Psalm 19 | » |
1 [To the chiefe musition, a psalme of Dauid.] The heauens declare the glorie of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy worke.
2 A day occasioneth talke therof vnto a day: and a night teacheth knoweledge vnto a nyght.
3 No language, no wordes, no voyce of theirs is hearde:
4 (19:3) yet their sounde goeth into all landes, and their wordes into the endes of the worlde.(19:4) In them he hath set a tabernacle for the sunne:
5 (19:4) which commeth foorth as a bridegrome out of his chamber, and reioyceth as a giaunt to runne his course.
6 (19:5) His settyng foorth is from the vtmost part of heauen, and his circuite vnto the vtmost part therof: and there is nothing hyd from his heat.
7 (19:6) The lawe of God is perfect, conuerting the soule: the testimonie of God is sure, and geueth wisdome vnto the simple.
8 (19:7) The statutes of God are right, and reioyce the heart: the commaundement of God is pure, and geueth light vnto the eyes.
9 (19:8) The feare of God is sincere, & endureth for euer: the iudgementes of God are trueth, they be iust in all poyntes.
10 (19:9) They are more to be desired then golde, yea then much fine golde: they are also sweeter then hony and the hony combe.
11 (19:10) Moreouer, by them thy seruaunt is well aduertised: and in kepyng of them there is a great rewarde.
12 (19:11) Who can knowe his owne errours? Oh cleanse thou me from those that I am not priuie of.
13 (19:12) Kepe thy seruaunt also from presumptuous [sinnes] let them not raigne ouer me: so I shall be perfect & voyde from all haynous offence.
14 (19:13) Let the wordes of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O God: my strength and my redeemer.
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.