Yea though in valley of deaths shade i walk none ill ill fear. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Popular title of the first book produced by englishspeaking american authors on a britishnorth american press. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in north america for englishspeaking colonists. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. The rare book will be auctioned by sothebys, new york on 26 nov. The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme. The bay psalm book is a book of many firststhe first englishlanguage book in north america, the first book of american poetry, and the first instance in a long and vital history of printing in america. W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary. 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.
The volume was the bay psalm booka literary monument of the cultural and religious aspirations of the early settlers of the country. Written by richard mather mather, richard, 15961669, british puritan clergyman in north america, b. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and. Better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free.
As such, puritans developed the practice of lining out the psalmhaving a deacon or clerk read each line of text before it was sung. This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by. Sign up to receive the book in your inbox daily at s. The bay psalm book 1640 and the new england primer 1683. Published by detective book club, roslyn 1983 used. When a librarian is found dead with a rare volume in his h. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book the singing of psalms, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. 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. Selby kiffer, international senior specialist in sothebys asserted that the bay psalm book is not merely a book but has acquired the status of one of the greatest artifacts of american history.
It was both the first book printed in the colonies and it was also the first book entirely written in the colonies. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta. In 1640, just 20 years after the mayflower landed at plymouth rock, they printed 1700 copies in cambridge. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. Americas hesitation over hymns christian history magazine. 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. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special.
Neither cottons essay nor the poems have been attended to by modern critics. Bay psalm book, byname of the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Digital bay psalm book university of alabama press. The singing of psalmes, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. The bay psalm book is the first known book to be printed in what is now the united states. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. One of the greatest artifacts of american history, the whole booke of psalmes, commonly known as the bay psalm book, will be auctioned at 7pm on the 26th day of this month at sothebys in new york. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. In the 1700s, many churches fought over whether to allow new humaninspired hymns into their worship. What is the bay psalm book but did you know that the bay psalm book was first printed in the colonies in 1640 and in reissues remained in use for over 100 years.
Better known as the bay psalm book, this work is significant in that it was the first book printed in british north america. The puritan divines of the massachusetts bay colony set out to produce a translation from the hebrew that was reflective of their unique brand of calvinism and more. The bay psalm book, printed just twenty years after the pilgrims arrival. The founders of the massachusetts bay colony came to the new world seeking religious freedom, and their first publication was a hymnal. The decision to print a book of psalms metered for singing may seem an odd choice as the first book to be printed by the settlers of massachusetts bay, but this. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed. The bay psalm book sale view auction details, bid, buy and collect the various books, manuscripts and artwork at sothebys art auction. The bay psalm book was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony. Nov 25, 20 the first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. The book is a metrical psalter, first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. Nov 16, 20 the bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. The celebration of this book is the impetus for the librarys exhibition.
Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the. W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary emendation to psalm 87, verse 6. The translations are not particularly polished, and. The bay psalm book murder by will harriss goodreads. The communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence.
Bay psalm book in metre 1640 logos bible software forums. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrim fathers in massachusetts. The first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. The psalm book, written and printed by the puritans of massachusetts bay colony in 1640, was designed to allow a whole congregation to sing psalms together in church and at home. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. The work, entitled the whole booke of palsmes faithfully translated into english metre, was published in seventeen hundred copies, of which only eleven survivefive complete and the others lacking a varying. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in plymouth in 1620, the magnitude of the effort and. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america.
A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. 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. This psalter was a new translation begun in 1636 by a group of puritan divines richard mather, john eliot, and. A committee of thirty learned elders, including john cotton, richard mather, and john eliot, set about the task of creating a new translation of the 150 hebrew psalms. The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. The reverend jesse glover imported the first printing press to the massachusetts bay colony in 1638, some 18 years after the first english settlers. The bay psalm book, as it has come to be known, consists of a substantial introduction summarizing the creators philosophy and intentions, followed by translations of the psalms rendered into meter, enabling them to be sung to wellknown tunes of the day. The 6by5inch hymnal book s estimated value was raised by 10 million dollars since the end of last year when we first ran a feature on the sale. 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 psalms in it are metrical translations into english. It was published in cambridge, massachusetts, by the puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. A committee of thirty learned elders, including john cotton, richard mather, and john eliot, set about the task of creating a new translation of the 150 hebrew psalms into english and casting the text into verse for singing. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse.
Jan 29, 2017 the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first book length publication in the north american colonies. He studied at oxford, began preaching, and was ordained in 1620. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. The bay psalm book is a very important piece of history. Bay psalm book last updated march 14, 2020 title page of the copy of the bay psalm book held by the beinecke rare book and manuscript library.
Bay psalm book, common hymnal of the massachusetts bay colony. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. The first book printed in british north america is expected to set a world record at auction. This book, with which the pilgrims literally sang their praises to god, presents a translation of the psalms from hebrew, transposed into metrical rhyme for congregational singing. Courtesy, houghton library, harvard university vault stc 2738 3. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale.
The bay psalm book of 1640 was the first book printed in america. When one considers the difficulties of mere existence during this time, a mere 20 years after the first arrivals in. Bay psalme book article about bay psalme book by the free. Nov 27, 20 the bay psalm book is the first known book to be printed in what is now the united states. Jun 11, 2018 the communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. Originally, the colonys residents looked to a committee of thirty men led by john eliot, thomas welde, and richard mather to translate all 150 psalms from hebrew into english. Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader.
As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Bay psalm book being a facsimile reprint of the first edition, printed by stephen daye at cambridge, in new england in. It was the first book printed in british north america. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first booklength publication in. Dec 03, 2012 the bay psalm books publication in 1640 came at a time when few could read and write words, never mind musical notation, and there were few copies of the book created to share in churches. Nov 27, 20 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 plymouth. Preface to the 1640 bay psalm book reformed theology at.
Nov 06, 2017 recently, the new york public library digitized in its entirety one of its great treasures, the 1640 printing of the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. The main thing you need to know right now about the bay psalm book is that a copy of it is up for public sale for the first time since 1947. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. 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 bay psalm book was the first book printed in british north america. Dec 02, 20 the bay psalm book began as a liturgical project meant to galvanize the pastoral ministry of a new colony. It presented literal translations of old testament psalms in rhymed meter and was used in nearly every puritan congregation in massachusetts. 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.
1175 293 1198 1442 1083 1267 1651 43 781 688 86 1505 556 226 1175 403 118 970 742 597 54 239 582 1124 715 1603 961 1683 1242 869 784 1040 1209 122 370 1188 1081 190 372 925 858