« | Psalm 105 | » |
1 Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds!
2 Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!
3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
4 Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.
5 Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his signs and his words of judgment,
6 You descendants of Abraham his servant, offspring of Jacob the chosen one!
7 The LORD is our God who rules the whole earth.
8 He remembers forever his covenant, the pact imposed for a thousand generations,
9 Which was made with Abraham, confirmed by oath to Isaac,
10 And ratified as binding for Jacob, an everlasting covenant for Israel:
11 "To you I give the land of Canaan, your own allotted heritage."
12 When they were few in number, a handful, and strangers there,
13 Wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another,
14 He let no one oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings:
15 " Do not touch my anointed, to my prophets do no harm."
16 Then he called down a famine on the land, destroyed the grain that sustained them.
17 He had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They shackled his feet with chains; collared his neck in iron,
19 Till his prediction came to pass, and the word of the LORD proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him lord over his palace, ruler over all his possessions,
22 To instruct his princes by his word, to teach his elders wisdom.
23 Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived in the land of Ham.
24 God greatly increased his people, made them too many for their foes.
25 He turned their hearts to hate his people, to treat his servants unfairly.
26 He sent his servant Moses, Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They worked his signs in Egypt and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness and it grew dark, but they rebelled against his word.
29 He turned their waters into blood and killed all their fish.
30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even the chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke and there came swarms of flies, gnats through all their country.
32 For rain he gave them hail, flashes of lightning throughout their land.
33 He struck down their vines and fig trees, shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke and the locusts came, grass hoppers without number.
35 They devoured every plant in the land; they ravaged the crops of their fields.
36 He struck down every firstborn in the land, the first fruits of all their vigor.
37 He brought his people out, laden with silver and gold; no stragglers among the tribes.
38 Egypt rejoiced when they left, for panic had seized them.
39 He spread a cloud as a cover, and made a fire to light up the night.
40 They asked and he brought them quail; with bread from heaven he filled them.
41 He split the rock and water gushed forth; it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his sacred word to Abraham his servant.
43 He brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with shouts of triumph.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations, the wealth of the peoples to own,
45 That they might keep his laws and observe his teachings. Hallelujah!
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.