In Washington, D.C., there is the Museum of the Bible, a huge building that is considered to be one of the “most technologically advanced and engaging museums in the world.” This place started back in 2017, showcasing rare artifacts and creating experiences so that visitors can learn more about the Bible’s history.
With the coronavirus pandemic going on, curator Amy Van Dyke has been able to reminisce and share some of her experiences handling some of the rare items in this Bible museum. She shared a story with FoxNews about the first time she held the Bible of the King of Rock N’ Roll, Elvis Presley himself.
The Museum of the Bible has two of Elvis Presley’s Bibles. One was the King’s personal Bible and the other was a Bible given to him by a fan (Pat Hyder from Cowpens, South Carolina). Amy explained that she could tell it was “something special to him,” describing how the inside was filled with handwritten notes, front to back. Because of his performance history, it makes sense why the King of Rock N’ Roll would be so dedicated to his Bibles.
In 1957, Elvis Presley received a Bible as a gift. In it, just below Psalm 11:1, Elvis had written, “In the Lord I place my trust and He will guide me.” Below Psalm 81, he wrote, “Sing the Lord Praises." Elvis owned several Bibles, including one on display at Museum of the Bible. pic.twitter.com/Gl7E6yfPeb
— Museum of the Bible (@museumofBible) March 29, 2019
Elvis Presley became known when he performed in the Assembly of God Church in Tupelo, Mississippi. He won Grammy Awards for his gospel music, winning best-sacred performance in 1967 and best inspirational performance in 1972 and 1974. Amy continued to explain that Elvis’s favorite book of the Bible was probably the book of Psalms. His handwritten notes scribbled in the margins indicate that this American legend probably took a stronger liking to this very poetic part of the Bible.
“His favorite book, from what it looks like, was the book of Psalms, because, in the book of Psalms, there’s a lot of notations and writings in there, which makes sense because it’s a book of songs. So for a musician, it made a lot of sense,” Amy told FoxNews, “And in the back of that Bible, there’s also some writing and some stanzas that he’s written in there and poems and other things that really spoke to him.”
The chief curatorial officer at the museum, Dr. Jeffrey Kloha, explained that “Musicians have always found inspiration in the Psalms. Like Elvis, J. S. Bach, for example, wrote notes in his Bible throughout the Psalms. This is because the Psalms themselves are intended to be sung, and have been sung in churches and synagogues for centuries.”
Maybe mainstream artists could learn a thing or two about finding inspiration. They might not necessarily have to start writing gospel songs, but I mean, the King of Rock N’ Roll took to the Bible and became a true American legend.
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