« | Psalm 106 | » |
1 Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord because he is good! His faithful love will last forever!
2 No one can describe how great the Lord really is. No one can praise him enough.
3 Those who obey his commands are happy. They do good things all the time.
4 Lord, remember me when you show kindness to your people. Remember to save me too!
5 Let me share in the good things that you do for your chosen people. Let me rejoice with your nation. Let me join with your people in praise.
6 We sinned just as our ancestors did. We were wrong; we did bad things!
7 Lord, our ancestors learned nothing from the miracles you did in Egypt. They forgot your kindness at the Red Sea and rebelled against you.
8 But the Lord saved our ancestors for the honor of his name. He saved them to show his great power.
9 He gave the command, and the Red Sea became dry. He led them through the deep sea on land as dry as the desert.
10 He saved our ancestors and rescued them from their enemies.
11 He covered their enemies with the sea. Not one of them escaped!
12 Then our ancestors believed the Lord. They sang praises to him.
13 But they quickly forgot about what he did. They did not listen to his advice.
14 They became hungry in the desert, and they tested him in the wilderness.
15 He gave them what they asked for, but he also gave them a terrible disease.
16 The people became jealous of Moses. They became jealous of Aaron, the Lord's holy priest.
17 So the Lord punished those jealous people. The ground opened up and swallowed Dathan. Then the ground closed up and covered Abiram's group.
18 Then a fire burned that mob of people. It burned those wicked people.
19 The people made a golden calf at Mount Horeb. They worshiped a statue!
20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull!
21 They forgot all about God, the one who saved them, the one who did the miracles in Egypt.
22 He did amazing things in Ham's country! He did awesome things at the Red Sea!
23 God wanted to destroy those people, but Moses, the leader he chose, stood in the way. God was very angry, but Moses begged him to stop, so God did not destroy the people.
24 But then they refused to go into the wonderful land of Canaan. They did not believe that God would help them defeat the people there.
25 Our ancestors complained in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.
26 So he swore that they would die in the desert.
27 He promised to scatter them among the nations and to let other people defeat their descendants.
28 At Baal Peor they joined in worshiping Baal and ate sacrifices to honor the dead.
29 The Lord became angry with his people, so he made them sick.
30 But Phinehas prayed to God, and God stopped the sickness.
31 He considered what Phinehas did a good work, and it will be remembered forever and ever.
32 At Meribah the people made the Lord angry and created trouble for Moses.
33 They upset Moses, and he spoke without stopping to think.
34 The Lord told the people to destroy the other nations living in Canaan. But the Israelites did not obey him.
35 They mixed with the other people and did what those people were doing.
36 They began worshiping the false gods those people worshiped. And their idols became a trap.
37 They even offered their own children as sacrifices to demons.
38 They killed their innocent sons and daughters and offered them to the false gods of Canaan. So the land was polluted with the sin of murder.
39 They were unfaithful to him, and they became dirty with the sins of other nations.
40 So the Lord became angry with his people. He rejected those who belonged to him.
41 He gave his people to other nations and let their enemies rule over them.
42 Their enemies controlled them and made life hard for them.
43 The Lord saved his people many times, but they turned against him and did what they wanted to do. His people did many bad things.
44 But whenever they were in trouble, he listened to their prayers.
45 He always remembered his agreement, and because of his faithful love, he comforted them.
46 Other nations took them as prisoners, but the Lord caused them to be kind to his people.
47 Lord our God, save us! Bring us back together from those nations. Then we will give thanks to your holy name and joyfully praise you.
48 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He always was and will always be worthy of praise. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the Lord! BOOK 5 (Psalms 107-150)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.