Preacher gave it to him when he was eight,

That sunday morning he got saved in that little church

Grandaddy totted it to bible school

I bet back then it looked brand new, not a faded word

Now the cover's torn and the leather's worn... on that old king james.

He took it with him overseas, england, france and germany

Right there in the middle of hell

Said he read it every night, he swore that it'd saved his life

His only hope when there was no hope left

Was in that old king james.

Passed it down to momma on the day he died

Sat there for the longest time just gathering the dust

But when life would take a sharp turn every now and then

And she would just start missing him, I'd see her pick it up

Now the cover's torn and the leather's worn... on that old king james.

You'll find on every other page, yellow lines or tear drop stains

Every chapter of that good book

Been through cancer, war and crazy kids, all the stupid things I did

I may never know the toll I took... on her and that old king james.

Yeah I'm the one who's got it now,

She said read it when you're feeling down and I said, "yes ma'am"

Now the cover's torn and the leather's worn... on that old king james.