A Handbook on the Book of Psalms

by Robert G. Bratcher; William David Reyburn

Publisher:

United Bible Societies

, 1991

Overview

What if you were responsible for translating God's Word into a language that never had a Bible before? Can you imagine the burden you would feel to do a good job?

God takes His Word pretty seriously, and you would certainly do everything in your power to make sure that you were not putting words into God's mouth, but that you were providing a text that clearly communicated God's Word as closely to the original as possible.

This challenge to understand the heart of the original Scriptures, in order to put the original text into a new language, was the impetus for the United Bible Societies to create handbooks for Bible translators working on this very thing. The United Bible Societies' Handbook Series is a comprehensive verse-by-verse guide to understanding exactly what is being communicated by the author in the original Scriptures.

Key Features

• Exegetical, historical, cultural, and linguistic information on the original text
• Verse-by-verse guides
• An essential tool for Bible translators

Contents

Top Highlights

“In verse 4 the Lord translates yah (see 68:4). The two lines are synonymous; Jacob and Israel are the people of Israel. As his own possession in line b translates a noun meaning ‘private property’ (see its use in Exo 19:5; Mal 3:17). neb has ‘his special treasure’ (see spcl). If the translator must reduce verse 4 to one line, it may be rendered ‘He chose the people of Israel to be his own property.’” (Page 1102)

“The word itself does not necessarily mean death; but by definition a dark ravine is a dangerous place.” (Page 233)

“Human labor is in vain unless it is in keeping with the Lord’s sovereign purpose and will.” (Page 1073)

“It is perfectly true that the main purpose of the psalmist is the glorification of the Law, and the setting forth of the joy that he, as a truly godly man, experiences in observing its precepts; but, as he constantly emphasizes, the Law is the expression of the divine will; it is not the Law, per se, that he loves …; he loves the Law because it tells of God’s will; and he loves it because he loves God first. Unless this fact is recognized all through, we shall neither do justice to the writer, nor apprehend the deeply religious character of the whole psalm.” (Page 997)

“This is not a stagnant pool, but a place where the fresh water flows gently, making it easy for the sheep to drink it.” (Page 232)

Product Details

• Title: A Handbook on the Book of Psalms
• Authors: Robert G. Bratcher and William D. Reyburn
• Series: The United Bible Societies' Handbook Series (UBSHS)
• Publisher: United Bible Societies
• Pages: 1,211