William Shakespeare and Psalm 46

2023-12-14

Have you ever heard that William Shakespeare either helped in the translation of the King James Bible, or was honored in it? In honor of his 46th birthday, they say, if you count 46 words into Psalm 46 you will find “shake” and 46 words from the end you get “spear.”

There are a few problems with that. First, this only works if you skip the title in the beginning and the word “Selah” at the end. Also, the words for “shake” and “spear” were translated that way in the Coverdale Bible in 1535, nearly 30 years before Shakespeare was born. Compare the King James Bible, the Coverdale Bible, and others, below:

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah... He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. (Psalm 46:3, 9)

Though the waters of the see raged & were neuer so troublous, & though the mountaynes shoke at the tepest of the same... He hath made warres to ceasse in all the worlde: he hath broken the bowe, he hath knapped the speare in sonder, & bret the charettes in the fyre. (Psalm 46:3, 9, Coverdale Bible 1535)

Though the waters thereof rage and be troubled, and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same. Selah... He maketh warres to cease vnto the endes of the world: he breaketh the bowe and cutteth the speare, and burneth the chariots with fire. (Psalm 46:3, 9, Geneva Bible 1599)

Though the waters of the sea raged and were neuer so troublous, and thoughe the mountaynes shoke at the tempest of the same. Selah... He hath made warres to cease in all the worlde: he hathe broken the bowe, he hathe knapped the speare in sonder, and brente the charettes in the fyre. (Psalm 46:3, 9, Matthew’s Bible 1537)