« | Psalm 54 | » |
1 To the director: With instruments. A maskil of David when the Ziphites went to Saul and told him, "We think David is hiding among our people." God, use your power and save me. Use your great power to set me free.
2 God, listen to my prayer. Listen to what I say.
3 Strangers who don't even think about God have turned against me. Those powerful men are trying to kill me. Selah
4 Look, my God will help me. My Lord will support me.
5 He will punish the people who turned against me. God, be faithful to me and destroy them.
6 Lord, I will give freewill offerings to you. I will praise your good name.
7 You saved me from all my troubles. I saw my enemies defeated.
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.