« | Psalm 88 | » |
1 A song; a psalm of the Korahites. For the leader; according to Mahalath. For singing; a maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
2 LORD, my God, I call out by day; at night I cry aloud in your presence.
3 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.
4 For my soul is filled with troubles; my life draws near to Sheol.
5 I am reckoned with those who go down to the pit; I am weak, without strength.
6 My couch is among the dead, with the slain who lie in the grave. You remember them no more; they are cut off from your care.
7 You plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into the darkness of the abyss.
8 Your wrath lies heavy upon me; all your waves crash over me. Selah
9 Because of you my friends shun me; you make me loathsome to them; Caged in, I cannot escape;
10 my eyes grow dim from trouble. II All day I call on you, LORD; I stretch out my hands to you.
11 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the shades arise and praise you? Selah
12 Is your love proclaimed in the grave, your fidelity in the tomb?
13 Are your marvels declared in the darkness, your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
14 But I cry out to you, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
15 Why do you reject me, LORD? Why hide your face from me?
16 I am mortally afflicted since youth; lifeless, I suffer your terrible blows.
17 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have reduced me to silence.
18 All the day they surge round like a flood; from every side they close in on me.
19 Because of you companions shun me; my only friend is darkness.
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.