« | Psalm 66 | » |
1 For the leader. A song; a psalm.
2 Shout joyfully to God, all you on earth; sing of his glorious name; give him glorious praise.
3 Say to God: "How awesome your deeds! Before your great strength your enemies cringe.
4 All on earth fall in worship before you; they sing of you, sing of your name!" Selah
5 Come and see the works of God, awesome in the deeds done for us.
6 He changed the sea to dry land; through the river they passed on foot. Therefore let us rejoice in him,
7 who rules by might forever, Whose eyes are fixed upon the nations. Let no rebel rise to challenge! Selah
8 Bless our God, you peoples; loudly sound his praise,
9 Who has kept us alive and not allowed our feet to slip.
10 You tested us, O God, tried us as silver tried by fire.
11 You led us into a snare; you bound us at the waist as captives.
12 You let captors set foot on our neck; we went through fire and water; then you led us out to freedom.
13 I will bring holocausts to your house; to you I will fulfill my vows,
14 The vows my lips pronounced and my mouth spoke in distress.
15 Holocausts of fatlings I will offer you and burnt offerings of rams; I will sacrifice oxen and goats. Selah
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, while I recount what has been done for me.
17 I called to the Lord with my mouth; praise was upon my tongue.
18 Had I cherished evil in my heart, the Lord would not have heard.
19 But God did hear and listened to my voice in prayer.
20 Blessed be God, who did not refuse me the kindness I sought in prayer.
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.