Bay Psalm Book
Preserved but no longer current.
A metrical version of the Psalms published by Stephen Daye at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, in 1680. One of the first printed works of the New World, and now highly prized. "What the Gutenberg Bible is to Europe, the Bay Psalm Book is to the United States"— A. E. Newton. In 1947 a copy changed hands at auction for $151, 000.00.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Bay Psalm Book” mean?
A metrical version of the Psalms published by Stephen Daye at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, in 1680. One of the first printed works of the New World, and now highly prized. "What the Gutenberg Bible is to Europe, the Bay Psalm Book is to the United States"— A. E. Newton. In 1947 a copy changed hands at auction for $151, 000.00.
Is “Bay Psalm Book” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.