« | Psalm 54 | » |
1 Save me by Your name, O God. And stand with me by Your power.
2 Hear my prayer, O God. Listen to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen against me. And men who hurt others want to take my life. They do not think about God.
4 See, God is my Helper. The Lord is the One Who keeps my soul alive.
5 He will punish those who hate me, for the wrong they have done. He will destroy them because He is faithful.
6 I will be glad to give You a gift on the altar. I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For He has taken me out of all trouble. And my eyes have looked without fear upon those who hate me.
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.