Looking at different translations of the Psalms (in Accordance) for personal worship

[Michael Hunt]

For a while now I have been reading through the Psalms as part of my personal worship/devotional time. I have found that this practice has been greatly encouraging in reminding me about certain truths concerning God, his character and myself as someone who wants to walk in His ways of righteousness.

 

However, while the familiarity of the versions I commonly use are helpful I have noticed that as a consequence I at times skim read certain passages because I know them too well.

 

So I wanted to ask the Accordance brains trust what other translations people have found of the Psalms to be helpful particularly for personal worship. I know that reading them in Hebrew would be an excellent way to go and I would agree if my Hebrew were further along than my current rudimentary understanding.   

 

Given that I currently use the NIV and am familiar with the ESV what other translations might people suggest?

[Λύχνις Δαν]

How's your Greek ? You might try the Septuagint in parallel with NETS or Brenton or both of course.

 

Thx

D

[ukfraser]

I Also use the Jps. And was brought up on the jerusalem, now new jerusalem, which is very poetical.

 

but for personal use, something very different like the good news (also called todays english version) or the message?

 

Also goldingay (shame we currently dont have the goldingay/wright translation in accordance as well as their commentaries).

Edited October 25, 2018 by ukfraser

[Solly]

In addition to those mentioned by Fraser, I often use the NLT as an alternate translation. With the NLT I don't fall into the skim read mode as I do with more familiar translations. Now for a real adventure, there is always Wycliffe. I actually do refer to Wycliffe at times to research translation phrasing and shifts of meaning or usage within English over time.

 

My formative years were spent with the KJV and that is the version I memorized, so I may begin to skim read anything in the Tyndale tradition (RSV, ESV). On the other hand, the Coverdale Psalter is different enough, though produced after Tyndale's work, that it is comfortable, but not so much that I skim read.

 

We are blessed to live in a time of many good translations, both old and new. 

 

Joseph

[ukfraser]

Slightly off topic but solly's post got me thinking about the days i lead bcp services. I found that when reading the passage out loud before i was preaching for either bcp or a cw service, something new always jumped out at me. As part of my sermon prep, i always try to read the passage out loud. As its for personal worship, you might want to try reading them out loud, particularly as they are psalms, as it will prevent you skimming the text as you have to concentrate more and you may see something fresh in your existing translations.

 

While not in accordance, if you really want to try something different, you may want to try chanting them out loud (rscm but lots of different settings) or listening to a recording, either choral, or i decided to splash out and get david suchet reading the whole niv bible on cd and then ripped it to my ipad.

 

One of the things i really enjoy is choral evensong in our minster or cathederal and listening to a choir sing the set psalms.

Edited October 25, 2018 by ukfraser

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi Michael,

I would recommend Mitchell Dahood’s translations in his Psalms commentaries, available at https://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=Anchor%20Job-Song. You will be shocked by some of his translations or interpretations, but not by all of them. Here is his translation of Ps. 42 (from the Logos edition):


    1     For the director. A maskil of the sons of Korah.
    2     As a hind cries aloud for running streams,
so my soul cries aloud for you, O God.
    3     My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I begin
to drink in deeply the presence of God?
    4     My tears have been my food
day and night,
When it was being said to me
all day long,
“Where is your God?”
    5     These things I shall remember,
and shall pour out my soul before him
When I cross the barrier,
and prostrate myself near the temple of God,
Amid loud shouts of thanksgiving,
amid a festal throng.
    6     Why are you so sad, O my soul?
And why do you sigh before me?
Wait for God, for I shall still praise him,
my Savior, my Presence, and my God.
    7     My soul before me is very sad
because I remember you,
From the land of descent and of nets,
from the mountains at the rim;
    8     Where deep calls to deep,
at the peal of your thunderbolts;
And all your breakers and your billows
pass over me.
    9     By day Yahweh had sent his grace
and his vision to me at night.
    10     My prayer to my living God:
I shall say: “O El, my Rock,
why have you forgotten me?
why must I go in gloom
because of harassment by the Foe,
because of the Assassin within my bones?”
    11     My adversaries taunt me
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
    12     Why are you so sad, O my soul?
And why do you sigh before me?
Wait for God, for I shall still praise him,
my Savior, my Presence, and my God.

 

[Michael Hunt]

How's your Greek ? You might try the Septuagint in parallel with NETS or Brenton or both of course.

 

Now there's an idea. Would still be a bit slower for me than English at the moemnt

 

I Also use the Jps. And was brought up on the jerusalem, now new jerusalem, which is very poetical, but for personal use, something very different like the good news (also called todays english version) or the message?

 

Also goldingay (shame we currently dont have the goldingay/wright translation in accordance as well as their commentaries).

 

Thanks Fraser. I think this is the kind of suggestion I was looking for (JPS). I feel I require a Psalms translation that leans more to dynamic rather than formal equivalence. Certainly looking for something that faithfully conveys as much of the Hebrew idiom and poetical nuances. (Wonder how the JPS compares to the recently released TLV).

 

I'm not sure I want to go down the full paraphrase path (see below for my reasoning)

 

Goldingay and Wright's translations as a text module would be fantastic.

 

Slightly off topic but solly's post got me thinking about the days i lead bcp services. I found that when reading the passage out loud before i was preaching for either bcp or a cw service, something new always jumped out at me. As part of my sermon prep, i always try to read the passage out loud. As its for personal worship, you might want to try reading them out loud, particularly as they are psalms, as it will prevent you skimming the text as you have to concentrate more and you may see something fresh in your existing translations.

 

While not in accordance, if you really want to try something different, you may want to try chanting them out loud (rscm but lots of different settings) or listening to a recording, either choral, or i decided to splash out and get david suchet reading the whole niv bible on cd and then ripped it to my ipad.

 

One of the things i really enjoy is choral evensong in our minster or cathederal and listening to a choir sing the set psalms.

 

Ha. Great minds think alike Fraser. Reading scripture texts out loud has for some time been a great way for me to wrestle with a text. I use audio recordings to listen to slabs of scripture in the car and found that it was a great way to get my eldest daughter to read (or should I say listen to) the whole of Genesis and Mark.

 

I have also installed The Free Church of Scotland app called Sing Psalms which contain an updated version of the Scotish Psalter in metrical form and often search up Youtube or Google Play Music for different settings of the Psalms (check out the Psalm Project Africa for a rendition of Psalm 133 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5DEZP0ufW4&list=PLP1PEo8MemCW5CKrb1Gwkl7AVNbuuf0l-&index=28)

 

My formative years were spent with the KJV and that is the version I memorized, so I may begin to skim read anything in the Tyndale tradition (RSV, ESV). On the other hand, the Coverdale Psalter is different enough, though produced after Tyndale's work, that it is comfortable, but not so much that I skim read.

 

We are blessed to live in a time of many good translations, both old and new. 

 

Joseph

 

So true Solly. Can relate to learning certain Psalms in the KJV.

 

I would recommend Mitchell Dahood’s translations in his Psalms commentaries, available at https://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=Anchor%20Job-Song. 

 

Wow. Might have to pick myself up a copy of that. Kind of echoes Fraser and my point about having these as text modules

Edited October 26, 2018 by Michael Hunt

[ukfraser]

As you have a copy above here is psalm 42 from jps and tlv

 

Psa. 42:1 ¶ For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites.

Psa. 42:2 ¶ Like a hind crying for water, my soul cries for You, O God;

Psa. 42:3 my soul thirsts for God, the living God; O when will I come to appear before God!

Psa. 42:4 My tears have been my food day and night; I am ever taunted with, “Where is your God?”

Psa. 42:5 When I think of this, I pour out my soul: how I walked with the crowd, moved with them, the festive throng, to the House of God with joyous shouts of praise.

Psa. 42:6 Why so downcast, my soul, why disquieted within me? Have hope in God; I will yet praise Him for His saving presence.

Psa. 42:7 O my God, my soul is downcast; therefore I think of You in this land of Jordan and Hermon, in Mount Mizar,

Psa. 42:8 where deep calls to deep in the roar of Your cataracts; all Your breakers and billows have swept over me.

Psa. 42:9 By day may the LORD vouchsafe His faithful care, so that at night a song to Him may be with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psa. 42:10 I say to God, my rock, “Why have You forgotten me, why must I walk in gloom, oppressed by my enemy?”

Psa. 42:11 Crushing my bones, my foes revile me, taunting me always with, “Where is your God?”

Psa. 42:12 Why so downcast, my soul, why disquieted within me? Have hope in God; I will yet praise Him, my ever-present help, my God.

(Psa. 42:1–12 JPS)

 

 

Psa. 42:1 ¶ For the music director, a contemplative song of the sons of Korah.

Psa. 42:2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

Psa. 42:3 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and appear before God?

Psa. 42:4 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day: “Where is your God?”

Psa. 42:5 These things I remember as I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng, walking with them to the House of God, with a voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a festival.

Psa. 42:6 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you murmuring within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, for the salvation of His presence.

Psa. 42:7 ¶ My God, my soul is downcast within me! Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and from the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mitzar.

Psa. 42:8 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls. All Your waves and breakers have swept over me.

Psa. 42:9 By day ADONAI commands His love, and at night His song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

Psa. 42:10 I will say to God my Rock: “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning, under the oppression of the enemy?”

Psa. 42:11 As with a crushing in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, by saying to me all day, “Where is your God?”

Psa. 42:12 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you murmuring within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance and my God.

(Psa. 42:1–12 TLV)

[ukfraser]

Thanks Fraser. I think this is the kind of suggestion I was looking for (JPS). I feel I require a Psalms translation that leans more to dynamic rather than formal equivalence. Certainly looking for something that faithfully conveys as much of the Hebrew idiom and poetical nuances. (Wonder how the JPS compares to the recently released TLV).

In that case i would also consider the jerusalem translation as it does have favourable reviews. It was my go to from the 70s till i was given an ipad a few years ago and put accordance on it.

 

I havent got the jerusalem translation in accordance as the basic text isnt tagged and the "study bible" equivalent is not available in accordance. But it was used so much, i have actually had my hard copy "study bible" version rebound!!!!!

 

Below is an image of ps 42 from my rebound copy.

Edited October 26, 2018 by ukfraser

[Michael Hunt]

Thanks, everyone for your suggestions.

 

At this stage, I have decided to create a Psalm reading workspace with some of your recommendations that I already own side by side to compare. I have added to this a user tool containing my Psalms reading plan/pattern (it is a mix of Common Worship: Time to Pray and Lectionary readings). My intention is that this will allow me to go quickly from my reading plan to the required Psalm. My main tab is likely to have just the two translations side as the intention is that this is for personal worship not for detailed study (but Accordance easily allows me to dig deeper from here if I wish).

 

I'm also looking at adding another tab that will have one of my main English translations, LXX Rahfils, and the NETS (Septuigant) translation. Probably use it for the times when I want to investigate the use of a particular word. I can easily add the Hebrew text if I want to.

[A.D. Riddle]

Michael,

 

This is not in Accordance (yet?), but I would recommend The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary, by Robert Alter.

 

A.D.

[Daniel Francis]

“[A psalm: for David] The Lord is my shepherd; I lack for nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me to water where I may rest; he revives my spirit; for his name’s sake he guides me in the right paths. Even were I to walk through a valley of deepest darkness I should fear no harm, for you are with me; your shepherd’s staff and crook afford me comfort. You spread a table for me in the presence of my enemies; you have richly anointed my head with oil, and my cup brims over. Goodness and love unfailing will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord throughout the years to come.”

(Psalms 23:0–6 The Revised English Bible)

https://accordance.bible/link/read/REB#Psa._23:0

 

“A DAVID PSALM

 

GOD, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.

 You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.

 True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.  

 

Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.  

 

You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.  

 

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.”

(Psalms 23:0–6 THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

https://accordance.bible/link/read/MESSAGE#Psa._23:0

 

“Psalm Of David

Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

In grassy meadows he lets me lie. By tranquil streams he leads me to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.

Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I should fear no danger, for you are at my side. Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.

You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup brims over.

Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.”

(Psalms 23:0–6 The New Jerusalem Bible)

https://accordance.bible/link/read/NJB#Psa._23:0

 

-dan

[ukfraser]

Thanks Dan and Michael, this thread has got me thinking about the Jerusalem bible again... (or njb)

 

And the ecumenical group at university that first introduced me to it in the 60s.

;o)

Edited October 28, 2018 by ukfraser

[Daniel Francis]

The new Jerusalem Bible is one of my favourite translation I just wish someone would release the full text ie complete study notes of the regular edition. The reader edition notes are out there in Logos but full study notes would be great.

 

-dan

[MattChristianOT]

JPS is great. Dahood is vastly influenced by the Ugaritic material and while he was one of the first to make the connections between Ugaritic and Hebrew poetical types, some of his meter is lost. I find the CSB to be a good reading translation, even if it is not highly accurate at all times.

[A. Smith]

the Greek Psalter is wonderful.  For a change from the NIV's more dynamic translation, you may look at a more formal translation like the NASB, NRSV, or ESV. 

[Douglas Fyfe]

Worth having a look at NETS in lieu of reading the Greek straight off. 

But I was pleasantly surprised to see so many votes for the NJB - I keep coming back to it for my devotional reading. 

[mgvh]

You might also consider the rather literal translation given at The Complete Jewish Bible site. It's a Jewish translation and is accompanied by Rashi's commentary, so you will get a different perspective on things.

 

I also will second the recommendation for Robert Alter's translation of The Book of Psalms. He strives for a poetic, dynamic translation.