« | Psalm 103 | » |
1 Of David. I Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, my soul; do not forget all the gifts of God,
3 Who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills,
4 Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion,
5 Fills your days with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD does righteous deeds, brings justice to all the oppressed.
7 His ways were revealed to Moses, mighty deeds to the people of Israel.
8 Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.
9 God does not always rebuke, nurses no lasting anger,
10 Has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our deeds deserve.
11 As the heavens tower over the earth, so God's love towers over the faithful.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far have our sins been removed from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on the faithful.
14 For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust.
15 Our days are like the grass; like flowers of the field we blossom.
16 The wind sweeps over us and we are gone; our place knows us no more.
17 But the LORD'S kindness is forever, toward the faithful from age to age. He favors the children's children
18 of those who keep his covenant, who take care to fulfill its precepts.
19 The LORD'S throne is established in heaven; God's royal power rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, all you angels, mighty in strength and attentive, obedient to every command.
21 Bless the LORD, all you hosts, ministers who do God's will.
22 Bless the LORD, all creatures, everywhere in God's domain. Bless the LORD, my soul!
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU)
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible known for its rigorous adherence to the original languages of Scripture. First published in 1995 by the Lockman Foundation, the NASU is an update of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), which was originally completed in 1971. The NASU seeks to improve upon the NASB by enhancing readability and modernizing the language while maintaining the translation’s reputation for being one of the most literal translations available. This makes the NASU a preferred choice for serious Bible study, preaching, and teaching.
A key feature of the NASU is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation philosophy. The translators aimed to produce a text that is as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This approach ensures that the NASU captures the precise meaning and structure of the original texts, providing readers with a highly accurate and reliable representation of the Scriptures. The use of formal equivalence makes the NASU particularly valuable for those who desire a deep and detailed understanding of the Bible, including scholars, theologians, and students of the Word.
In updating the NASB, the NASU made several important changes to improve clarity and readability. While maintaining the accuracy and literalness of the translation, the NASU incorporates modern English expressions and smoother sentence structures. This makes the text more accessible to contemporary readers without compromising the precision that the NASB is known for. The NASU also includes updated cross-references and footnotes, which provide additional context and insights, further aiding in the study and understanding of the biblical text.
Despite its many strengths, the NASU has faced some criticism. Some readers and scholars argue that the translation’s emphasis on literalness can sometimes result in a text that feels stiff or less fluid than more dynamic translations. Additionally, while the NASU’s updated language makes it more accessible, some feel that it could go further in adapting to contemporary usage without losing its accuracy. Nevertheless, the New American Standard Updated Version remains a highly esteemed translation, valued for its fidelity to the original texts and its usefulness for in-depth study and precise interpretation of the Bible.