As we continue our study through Psalm 145, considering various translations, I am not advocating the daily use or intense study of all the versions cited here. I do, however, find that it is helpful to consider other translations, especially more literal versions, though at times the phraseology and wooden translation is difficult to understand.
We won't be using every version here going forward, but I do want to put to rest the idea that the only way English speaking people can know what God has said is to read a specific version, or that any English version of the Bible is inspired. Rather, it is the originals which were inspired and we have plenty of evidence that what we have today is that which was originally given to the apostles, prophets, and others God used to write His Word as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Today, as we examine the character of God through Psalm 145, verse 8, I am going to share a whole pile of Bible versions available online to compare and contrast. For these comparisons, I find the site Bible Gateway to be helpful, as it provides up to 5 side by side translations at a time, with dozens to look at, even some in various languages for those who don't have English as their heart language.
"The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness."
NASB New American Standard Bible
" The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion;
slow to anger, and of great mercy."
KJV King James Version
"The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."
ESV English Standard Version
"The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love."
NIV New International Version
"The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness."
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness."
AMP Amplified Bible
"You are merciful, Lord!
You are kind and patient
and always loving."
You are kind and patient
and always loving."
CEV Contemporary English Version
"Gracious and merciful [is] Jehovah,
Slow to anger, and great in kindness."
YLT Young's Literal Translation
"The Lord is gracious, and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great mercy."
Geneva 1599, notes from this passage cited below
"He describeth after what sort God showeth himself to all his creatures,
though our sins have provoked his vengeance against all:
to wit, merciful, not only in pardoning the sins of his elect,
but in doing good even to the reprobate,
albeit they cannot feel the sweet comfort of the same."
~ Geneva Bible notes
Given all of these various translations available to us, some using the literal word for word, thought for thought, or dynamic equivalent standards for translation, one would think we would have chaos, but rather what I see here is a harmonic blend of interpretations that all say the same things about God. What are these things upon which we all agree about the character of God, whether we are KJV only or prefer the Geneva which predates the King James.
I was thinking about the text of these various translations, about the cross references, about the meaning of the words, which I have explained and defined in previous posts, and found that the note in the Geneva Bible were in complete agreement with the text, while drawing ideas such as pardon for sin, election, reprobation, and comfort from the general knowledge of God revealed in other Scriptures. I have been called a Puritan before, as if that were some sort of insult, but indeed these people who lived most of their lives in full dedication to knowing, enjoying, and proclaiming God and His Word as a manner of life who crossed the Atlantic some 400 years ago, planting seeds that would lead to the United States of America, were carrying with them not the KJV, which was the most recent translation available to them, but the Geneva Bible.
Putting history aside for a moment, let us consider what we can learn from this beautiful passage which continues to burn itself into my heart and solidify the truths I have known personally as a sinner saved by the grace of God, dead in my sin and now alive in Christ, ruined and wretched and now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The more we see the beauty and glory of the God over all Creation, the more our sins should grieve us, the more sensitive we become to sin around us in our brothers and sisters, and the more we are driven to go proclaim the Word of God to a dying world, to proclaim the Good Shepherd to anyone who will listen, knowing that among the throngs of people wandering our towns, schools, churches, and businesses, there are lost sheep who need to hear the Shepherd's voice. When they hear it, they will follow Him, so the charge to go and herald this great Savior is all the more engulfing our minds as we are sanctified, set apart for His work, and blessed in the doing of that work.
Think about how you talk about God. Think about how you explain His character, His plan of saving sinners through the blood of Jesus Christ. Think about what you are conveying when you speak to people about their need for forgiveness. Yes, present the truth about man's condition, certainly speak to the desperate need for reconciliation, but don't forget to proclaim the cure, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, washing away of sin by the atoning blood of Jesus on the cross, the wrath of God poured out not on a guilty man, but upon a sinless and spotless God/man, the suffering Servant, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Go and tell everyone about all these things in full view of the character of God as listed below, taken from the same passage, understood in context slightly differently, expressed in many terms that we need to have in our hearts, on our minds, and meditate on the goodness of God to save sinners and then use saved sinners to tell others of the Savior.
Then think about the fruit of the Spirit and see if these things are also true about us, as people who have been cleansed from sin and made new in the image of Christ Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, adopted sons and daughters of the Most High God. These traits show us God, but they also show us what God is doing in the lives of Christians to make us like Him.
GOD IS:
Full of grace
Full of mercy
Slow to anger
Great in loving kindness
Full of compassion
Abounding in steadfast love
Rich in love
Kind and patient
I have asked myself which of these are true about myself consistently, not just once in a while, not just with those closest to me, my wife and children, but the elderly and downcast, the single parent and the marriage of the couple with many children, of the single young man who is troubled by pornography's grip on his mind who wishes to be set free, of the abortion minded mother who can't see the blessing of a child in light of the circumstances around them. These are convicting questions, dealing with not only actions, but motivations. I fall short in these far too often, and now as I write, I am convicted and broken, desiring to do better. But I can't do it alone, in fact, I can't do it at all. It is only Christ in me that makes me even consider doing these things for the glory of God, rather than mere guilt or hope of reward. To have the mind of Christ is to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, to be made more like Jesus and live every moment for His glory, knowing that without Him, we could do nothing.
As you go about your day, I hope that you will take into account the challenge here, and remind me of it as well. I need accountability more than others because of the influence God has given me in my marriage, with my children, with those we counsel, and our public ministry. I don't speak out of pride, nor expecting anyone to live by the standard of my life, but I do set forth the standard of God's Word as the only standard worth following. Paul said we should follow him as he followed Christ. I take that to mean that where he sinned, we should not follow. None of us are perfect, but we as Christians are being made into the image of Christ, and one day will be perfect as He is perfect. I long for that day, to see the gracious, merciful, compassionate, loving, kind, and patient God and to no longer sin against Him, but to give Him all the glory and honor due to Him. Walk in His truth today!
