Posts tagged with "Psalm 1"

Daniel McClellan – Psalms 1 and 2

It appears as though Daniel McClellan is offering translations and notes on some of the Psalms.  He has started with Psalms 1 and 2 and I hope he continues this.  Check out the translations and notes here – Psalm 1 and Psalm 2.

As an aside, it is always interesting to see how different translators handle the word torah as well as the tetragrammaton.  Daniel has opted for the transliteration of each, i.e. torah is rendered as “torah” and the divine name is rendered as “Yhwh.”

I think matters like this are usually a tough call, especially when a translation is intended for a wider audience, which I don’t particularly think Daniel is doing on his blog.  It’s not like he’s trying to develop the new NRSV or anything like that.

These are the kinds of things that are pleasing to me as a scholar.  I would prefer to see torah as “torah” and the divine name as Yhwh rather than as Lord (all caps or otherwise).

On the other hand, I think these are the kinds of things that might lead to a translation not being well received by the general public.  They have simply gotten accustomed to hearing “on his law he meditates ….”

Psalm 1.1 – Translation Comparison

The Responsorial Psalm for today is Psalm 1 as you might have gathered from my previous post.  In reading through Psalm 1 in the New American Bible (=NAB), I felt like it obscured the progression to be found in verse 1, so I took a look at the verse in parallels.  It turns out that a number of other translations handle the verse in a way similar to the NAB, whereas two others do not.

Psalm 1.1 in the NAB

Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor go in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,

The verbs in question in this verse are those translated as “follows,” “go,” and “sits” in the NAB.  In this translation, the first two verbs are treated as near synonyms.  But, let’s see how these verbs are handled by other versions.

Psalm 1.1 in Parallel Versions

Psalm 1 ParallelParallel Versions Viewed in BibleWorks 8

Here are how the verbs are handled:

New American Bible – “follow,” “go,” “sit”

New American Standard – “walk,” “stand,” “sit”

New Revised Standard – “follow,” “take (the path – these words are not part of verb),” “sit”

Today’s New International – “walk,” “stand,” “sit”

New Jewish Publication Society – “follow,” “take (the path),” “join”

The translation issue revolves primarily around the second verb.  In the NAB, NRSV, and NJPS, the second verb is translated as a near synonym of the first “follow-go/take (the path)”.  In the NASB and TNIV, it is translated as “stand.”  It would seem that the translations that treat the second verb as a near synonym of the first are trying to deal with the presence of the word “path” as in “take the path.”  “Stand” does not really capture the type of movement associated with a path, though “stand” is the most common translation of the word.

So, does one nuance the word more commonly translated as “stand” in order to capture the motion of the path?  I do not think that is necessary or helpful here because I believe it obscures the increase of engagement, which John Hobbins calls a crescendo.  Maintaining the translation “stand” the progression is then “walk,” “stand,” and “sit.”  As one moves through these verbs, one gets a greater sense of lingering.  I don’t think this progression is captured as well when the first two verbs are translated as near synonyms.  So, I would translate the second verb as stand while realizing why others would prefer a verb that captures the motion of the path.

Related – Check out some of my other Psalms posts from this week:

Psalm 103 & Prosperity Thought

Psalm 98 & Assonance

Psalm 1.4 – A Video Illustration of Chaff

Psalm 1.4

But not the wicked! They are like chaff driven by the wind. (NAB)

Have you ever wondered what chaff being driven by the wind looks like?  Of course, modern Africa is not Ancient Israel, but I doubt chaff being driven by the wind has changed much.  Here is a video that shows chaff being driven by the wind.  Pretty cool.

Related – Check out some of my other Psalms posts from this week:

Psalm 103 & Prosperity Thought

Psalm 98 & Assonance

What a Contrast – Malachi 3 and Psalm 1

The Old Testament lectionary reading today was from Malachi 3 and the responsorial Psalm was Psalm 1.  When you read these two passages together, there is an amazing contrast and I wonder if it was purposeful.  First, read Psalm 1 (NAB):

1
Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.
2
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy; God’s law they study day and night.
3
They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers.
4
But not the wicked! They are like chaff driven by the wind.
5
Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment, nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.
6
The LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Next, read what those who displease YHWH are saying in Malachi 3 (though it seems these words are obviously being placed in their mouths):

You have said, “It is vain to serve God, and what do we profit by keeping his command, And going about in penitential dress in awe of the LORD of hosts? Rather must we call the proud blessed; for indeed evildoers prosper, and even tempt God with impunity.”

The complaint being placed in their mouths is basically that texts like Psalm 1 do not appear to be true.  In Psalm 1, the righteous man prospers in whatever he does and the wicked man is ruined.  But, the people have noticed that often righteous men do not profit in whatever they do and wicked men get ahead in life being left unpunished.  Thus, they go ahead and “call the proud blessed.”

The prophet then proceeds to tell them that this is not the proper attitude to take, though he appears assume that there conclusions about their life situation (i.e. that the wicked prosper and the righteous do not) are correct.  The promises of texts like Psalm 1 are shifted to the future.  There is going to be a future day when YHWH “takes action” (Malachi 3.17).  There is going to be a future day when the distinction between the righteous and the wicked becomes clear again (Malachi 3.18).  A considerable number of centuries later we still pay heed to this advice.  Righteousness and wickedness seem to have little to do with who prospers in this life.  Sometimes righteous people do and sometimes they don’t.  Sometimes wicked people do and sometimes they don’t.  But, it is important to approach this situation with a proper attitude.  Just because wicked people get ahead doesn’t mean that we call evil good.