Hymnals & Pew Bibles, Part 6

Now we are getting some good dialogue going!

I had a great conversation with Dave McShea last night about Bible translation. Yesterday, I also encountered a great example of how Bible translation can impact the meaning of the text in my preparation for Good Friday. Let me show you. . .

I am working on Psalm 22, which is truly an amazing text. (Take a look before Friday!) The passage can be neatly divided into two sections: 1. A Cry of Agony in 1-21, and 2. A Cry of Victory in 22-31. I'm convinced there is a significant turning point, a shift, a transition at the end of verse 21, but not all English translations show it. Consider the four English versions we've mentioned. . . .

New American Standard (NAS): Psa. 22:21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.

New King James Version (NKJV): Psa. 22:21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.

New International Version (NIV): Psa. 22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

English Standard Version (ESV): Psa. 22:21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

Do you see the difference? James Montgomery Boice says this in his commentary on the Psalms:

The climax of the first part of Psalm 22 and the turning point between part one and part two comes in verses 19-21, as the suffering Savior finds his communion with God restrored. . . . The verb translated "save me" (in v. 21) literally means "you have heard," and it is held to the end so that the final couplet should actually read

Rescue me from the mouth of the lions,
from the horns of the wild oxen. You have heard me!

This is a cry of triumph, not despair. It marks the moment at which the period of darkness passess and Jesus, having sufferend a true alienation from the Father as a punishment for our sins, becomes aware of God's presence and favor again.

So, the NAS and NKJV both capture this idea, whereas the NIV and ESV both miss it. In the NIV verse 21 looks like a continuing cry for help rather than a recognition that God's presence has come. The ESV is better, but still not as good as the NAS or NKJV. In fact, I think I like the punctuation of the NKJV best.

Now this is not a huge deal, but I show it to you just to illustrate the fact that interpreation is always happening with translation. (Note, this is not a textual variant issue, but a translation issue.) I thought it was interesting that this came up yesterday as we have been discussing these issues. Personally, I buy Boice's argument!

Do you get it?