« | Psalm 50 | » |
1 A psalm of Asaph. I The LORD, the God of gods, has spoken and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 From Zion God shines forth. perfect in beauty.
3 Our God comes and will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes, storming fiercely round about.
4 God summons the heavens above and the earth to the judgment of his people:
5 "Gather my faithful ones before me, those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
6 The heavens proclaim divine justice, for God alone is the judge. Selah
7 "Listen, my people, I will speak; Israel, I will testify against you; God, your God, am I.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, nor for your holocausts, set before me daily.
9 I need no bullock from your house, no goats from your fold.
10 For every animal of the forest is mine, beasts by the thousands on my mountains.
11 I know every bird of the heavens; the creatures of the field belong to me.
12 Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for mine is the world and all that fills it.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me."
16 But to the wicked God says: "Why do you recite my commandments and profess my covenant with your lips?
17 You hate discipline; you cast my words behind you!
18 When you see thieves, you befriend them; with adulterers you throw in your lot.
19 You give your mouth free rein for evil; you harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit maligning your own kin, slandering the child of your own mother.
21 When you do these things should I be silent? Or do you think that I am like you? I accuse you, I lay the charge before you.
22 "Understand this, you who forget God, lest I attack you with no one to rescue.
23 Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; to the obedient I will show the salvation of God."
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.