« | Psalm 59 | » |
1 [To the chiefe musition, destroy not, a golden psalme of Dauid, when Saul sent, and they did watch the house to kill him.] Deliuer me from myne enemies O Lorde: defende me fro them that rise vp against me.
2 Deliuer me from the workers of iniquitie: and saue me from the blood thirstie men.
3 For lo, they lye in wayte for my soule: men of power are gathered together against me who haue committed no wickednes nor fault O God.
4 When no fault is done, they runne and set them selues in order: arise to meete me and beholde.
5 And thou O God Lorde of hoastes, Lorde of Israel: awake to visite all Heathen, and be not mercifull vnto all them that offend of malice. Selah.
6 They go to and from at euening: they barke lyke a dogge, and runne about through the citie.
7 Behold they speake with their mouth, swordes are in their lippes: for [say they] who doth heare [vs?]
8 But thou O God wylt haue them in derision: thou wylt laugh all Heathen to scorne.
9 I wyl reserue his strength for thee: for thou O Lorde art my refuge.
10 My mercifull Lord wyll preuent me: the Lord will let me see [my desire] vpon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget it: but in thy stoutnes scatter them like vagaboundes, and put them downe O God our defence.
12 The wordes of their lippes [be] the sinne of their mouth: O let them be taken in their pryde, for they speake nothing but curses and lies.
13 Consume them in thy wrath, consume them that nothing of them remayne: and let them knowe that it is the Lord that ruleth in Iacob, & vnto the endes of the worlde. Selah.
14 And let them gad vp and downe at euening: let them barke lyke a dogge, and go about the citie.
15 Let them runne here and there for meate: and go to bed if they be not satisfied.
16 As for me I wyll sing of thy power, and wyll prayse thy louing kindnes betimes in the morning: for thou hast ben my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee O my strength will I sing psalmes: for thou O Lorde art my refuge, and my mercyfull Lorde.
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.