« | Psalm 72 | » |
1 Of Solomon.
2 I O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings; That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment,
3 That the mountains may yield their bounty for the people, and the hills great abundance,
4 That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live as long as the sun endures, like the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain coming down upon the fields, like showers watering the earth,
7 That abundance may flourish in his days, great bounty, till the moon be no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth.
9 May his foes kneel before him, his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute, the kings of Arabia and Seba offer gifts.
11 May all kings bow before him, all nations serve him.
12 For he rescues the poor when they cry out, the oppressed who have no one to help.
13 He shows pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the poor.
14 From extortion and violence he frees them, for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live, receiving gold from Arabia, prayed for without cease, blessed day by day.
16 May wheat abound in the land, flourish even on the mountain heights. May his fruit increase like Lebanon's, his wheat like the grasses of the land.
17 May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun, may his name endure. May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name; may all the nations regard him as favored.
18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful deeds.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may all the earth be filled with the LORD'S glory. Amen and amen.
20 The end of the psalms of David, son of Jesse.
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.