Great Bible

The Great Bible of 1539 was the first authorised edition of the Bible in English, authorised by King Henry VIII to be read aloud in the church services of the Church of England. The Great Bible was prepared by Myles Coverdale, working under commission of Thomas Cromwell, Secretary to Henry VIII and Vicar General. In 1538, Cromwell directed the clergy to provide "one book of the Bible of the largest volume in English, and the same set up in some convenient place within the said church that ye have care of, whereas your parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same and read it."

Title page of the 1539 edition

Quotes

Quotes reported in: Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed., The Oxford Book of English Prose (1925), pp. 60–2

• My heart is enditing of a good matter: I speake of the thinges, which I haue made vnto the king. My tonge is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men, full of grace are thy lippes, bicause God hath blessed thee for euer. Girde thee with thy sweard vpon thy thigh (O thou most mightie) according to thy worship and renowne. Good lucke have thou with thy honour, ride on bicause of the worde of truth, of mekenes and righteousness, & thy right hande shall teach thee terrible thinges. Thy arowes are very sharpe, and the people shalbe subdued vnto thee, euen in the middest among the kinges enemies. Thy seate (O God) endureth for euer: the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Thou hast loued righteousnes, and hated iniquitie: wherfore God (euen thy God) hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes. Al thy garments smel of Mirre, Aloes and Cassia, out of the yuory palaces, wherby they haue made thee glad. Kynges daughters wer among thy honorable women: vpon thy right hand did stand the Quene in a vesture of golde (wrought about with diuers coloures.) Hearken (O daughter) and consider: encline thyne eare: forget also thyne own people, and thy fathers house. So shall the kyng haue pleasure in thy beauty, for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou hym. And the daughter of Tyre shalbe ther with a gift lyke as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee. The kynges daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought golde. She shalbe brought vnto the kyng in rayment of nedle work: the virgins that be her felowes, shal beare her companye, and shalbe brought vnto thee. With ioy and gladnesse shall they be brought, and shal enter into the kynges palace. In stede of thy fathers thou shalt haue children, whom thou mayest make Princes in al landes. I wil remember thy name from one generation to another: therfore shall the people geue thankes vnto thee world without ende.
  • Psalm xlv

• When the Lorde turned again the captiuitie of Sion, then were we lyke vnto them that dreame. Then was our mouth fylled with laughter: and our tong with ioy. Then said they among the Heathen: the Lord hath done great thinges for them. Yea, the Lord hath done great thynges for vs already, wherof we reioyce. Turne our captiuitie, O Lorde, as the riuers in the South. They that sow in teares, shall reape in ioye. He that now goeth in his way weping and beareth forth good sede, shal come again with ioy, & bring his sheaues with him.
  • Psalm cxxvi

• The Lorde is my shepehearde: therfore can I lacke nothing. He shall fede me in a grene pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. He shall conuerte my soule, and bryng me foorth in the pathes of righteousnesse for his name sake. Yea, though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no euil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe comfort me. Thou shalt prepare a table before me, against them that trouble me: thou haste anointed my hed with oyle, and my cup shalbe full. But thy louing kindnesse and mercy shal folow me al the dayes of my lyfe: and I will dwell in the house of the Lorde for euer.
  • Psalm xxiii

• Lorde, thou hast bene oure refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountayns were brought foorth, or euer the earth & the worlde were made, thou art God from euerlasting, and world without ende. Thou turnest manne to destruction. Agayne thou sayeste, come agayne ye chyldren of men. For a thousand yeres in thy sight ar but as yesterday, seing that is paste as a watche in the night. Assoone as thou scatterest them they ar euen as a slepe, and fade away sodeinly lyke the grasse. In the morning it is greene & groweth vp, but in the euening it is cut downe, dried vp and withered. For we consume away in thy displeasure: and are afrayde at thy wrathfull indignation. Thou hast set our misdedes before thee, and our secrete sinnes in the lyght of thy countenaunce. For when thou art angry, al our dayes are gone: we bryng our yeares to an end, as it were a tale that is tolde.
  • Psalm xc