« | Psalm 89 | » |
1 A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
2 The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages.
3 For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens.
4 I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
5 I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages." Selah
6 The heavens praise your marvels, LORD, your loyalty in the assembly of the holy ones.
7 Who in the skies ranks with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the gods?
8 A God dreaded in the council of the holy ones, greater and more awesome than all who sit there!
9 LORD, God of hosts, who is like you? Mighty LORD, your loyalty is always present.
10 You rule the raging sea; you still its swelling waves.
11 You crushed Rahab with a mortal blow; your strong arm scattered your foes.
12 Yours are the heavens, yours the earth; you founded the world and everything in it.
13 Zaphon and Amanus you created; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
14 Mighty your arm, strong your hand, your right hand is ever exalted.
15 Justice and judgment are the foundation of your throne; love and loyalty march before you.
16 Happy the people who know you, LORD, who walk in the radiance of your face.
17 In your name they sing joyfully all the day; at your victory they raise the festal shout.
18 You are their majestic strength; by your favor our horn is exalted.
19 Truly the LORD is our shield, the Holy One of Israel, our king!
20 Once you spoke in vision; to your faithful ones you said: "I have set a leader over the warriors; I have raised up a hero from the army.
21 I have chosen David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him.
22 My hand will be with him; my arm will make him strong.
23 No enemy shall outwit him, nor shall the wicked defeat him.
24 I will crush his foes before him, strike down those who hate him.
25 My loyalty and love will be with him; through my name his horn will be exalted.
26 I will set his hand upon the sea, his right hand upon the rivers.
27 He shall cry to me,'You are my father, my God, the Rock that brings me victory!'
28 I myself make him firstborn, Most High over the kings of the earth.
29 Forever I will maintain my love for him; my covenant with him stands firm.
30 I will establish his dynasty forever, his throne as the days of the heavens.
31 If his descendants forsake my law, do not follow my decrees,
32 If they fail to observe my statutes, do not keep my commandments,
33 I will punish their crime with a rod and their guilt with lashes.
34 But I will not take my love from him, nor will I betray my bond of loyalty.
35 I will not violate my covenant; the promise of my lips I will not alter.
36 By my holiness I swore once for all: I will never be false to David.
37 His dynasty will continue forever, his throne, like the sun before me.
38 Like the moon it will stand eternal, forever firm like the sky!" Selah
39 But now you have rejected and spurned, been enraged at your anointed.
40 You renounced the covenant with your servant, defiled his crown in the dust.
41 You broke down all his defenses, left his strongholds in ruins.
42 All who pass through seize plunder; his neighbors deride him.
43 You have exalted the right hand of his foes, have gladdened all his enemies.
44 You turned back his sharp sword, did not support him in battle.
45 You brought to an end his splendor, hurled his throne to the ground.
46 You cut short the days of his youth, covered him with shame. Selah
47 How long, LORD? Will you stay hidden forever? Must your wrath smolder like fire?
48 Remember how brief is my life, how frail the race you created!
49 What mortal can live and not see death? Who can escape the power of Sheol? Selah
50 Where are your promises of old, Lord, the loyalty sworn to David?
51 Remember, Lord, the insults to your servants, how I bear all the slanders of the nations.
52 Your enemies, LORD, insult your anointed; they insult my every endeavor.
53 Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen!
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.