The bay psalm book has the distinction of being the first book published in british america. Salem church decided that the bay psalm book should be. Here is an extremely rare bible the bay psalm book a beautiful leather facsimile of the original from 1640. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. The first bible printed in the colonies of america. The bay psalm book 1 the lord to me a shepherd is, want therefore i shall not, he in the folds of tender grass doth make me down to lie to waters calm he gently leads restore my soul doth he he doth in paths of righteousness for his names sake lead me. The pierpont morgan library, new york in the case of six psalms51, 85, 100, 117, 3, 8the massachusetts bay translators provided versions in both long and common meters, introducing the alternative. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. The new england puritans and the name of god american. Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it also the most expensive book in the world.
The 1700 copies of the first edition provided puritans with a plain and familiar translation designed to represent more faithfully the hebrew psalms than did the version used by the. It has jehovahs name as iehovah over 200 times also iah and once as jehovah in this psalms. The divine name is found in the bay psalm book, the first piece of literature published in englands american colonies. Titlepage of a 1633 edition of thomas ravenscrofts psalter, the tunes of which are referenced by the translators of the bay psalm book. Its a book that was not created to be fancy or splendid or valuable in any way other than the significance of its content, says derick dreher, the director of philadelphias rosenbach library, one of the few institutions to hold a bay psalm book. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. We have over 100 relatives in the truth and at bethel. The preface to the bay psalm book is a remarkable statement of purpose.
Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. Its original edition printed in 1640 contains the psalms, translated from hebrew into the english of that day. The edition of this facsimile reprint of the bay psalm book. He led the ancient church, a brownist or english separatist congregation in amsterdam alongside francis johnson from 1597, and after their split led his own congregation. This first edition of the bay psalm book contained text but no tunes. The bay psalm book owes much of its prominence to the fact that it was the. The bay psalm book was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony. The whole book of psalms faithfully translated in english metre, more commonly known as the bay psalm book, was first printed in. The reverend jesse glover imported the first printing press to the massachusetts bay colony in 1638, some 18 years after the first english settlers landed at plymouth rock.
The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The bay psalm book of 1640 was the first book printed in america. The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. The first book to be published in the united states of america appeared while the country was still in its original thirteen colonies stage of development.
The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived for instance, old 100th. But he upon jehovahs law doth set his whole delight. The bay psalm book began as a liturgical project meant to galvanize the pastoral ministry of a new colony. The library of congress copy of the bay psalm book and david m.
Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at a. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. The book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Join david redden director, special projects, and s. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. These two copies of the text are together for the first time since they were separated long ago. My parents were also raised in the truth since 1930s. Of course, the most high god requires more than our acknowledgment that his name is jehovah iehovah. It was the first book printed in british north america.
As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. The bay psalm book was published in 1640, more than a century and a half after the first gutenberg bibles and 20 years after the pilgrims had landed at. All kjv books old testament only new testament only apocrypha only. The use of hebrew in the bay psalm book the book commonly known as the bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. Bay psalm book in metre 1640 logos bible software forums. We offer over books, over 200 photos and many other historical writings as well as biblical museum artifacts and many original items that are.
The first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. Henry ainsworth 15711622 was an english nonconformist clergyman and scholar. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. His translations of and commentaries on the hebrew scriptures were influential for centuries. The bay psalm book sale view auction details, bid, buy and collect the various books, manuscripts. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. Het is een berijmde vertaling in het engels van het boek psalmen. The following is the preface to the bay psalm book. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. The divine name is found in the bay psalm book, the first. It was the joint product of richard mather, founder of that distinguished family of new england divines, thomas welde and john eliot, the missionary to the indians. The bay psalm book is a religious and cultural manifesto of the puritan fathers and a towering icon of the founding of the united states.
The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. My wife and i have been raised in the truth, myself for over 50 years. This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Psalm book of 1640 which uses jah only once in the entire text of the psalms. Seventeen hundred copies were printed in 1640 by stephen daye in massachusetts. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. Bay psalm book was the first book length publication in the north american colonies. My grandparents were also bible students in the early 20th century. The bay psalm book long metre tunes a psalm of praise 1 make ye a joyful sounding noise unto jehovah, all the earth. Psalm 100, bay psalm book music for the church of god.