« | Psalm 104 | » |
1 Let all that I am praise the LORD. O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty.
2 You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
3 you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind.
4 The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.
5 You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.
6 You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains.
7 At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
8 Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed.
9 Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth.
10 You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains.
11 They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees.
13 You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
14 You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth--
15 wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength.
16 The trees of the LORD are well cared for-- the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses.
18 High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.
19 You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.
20 You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.
21 Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God.
22 At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest.
23 Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.
24 O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.
26 See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.
27 They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.
28 When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied.
29 But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust.
30 When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the LORD continue forever! The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made!
32 The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch.
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath!
34 May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.