Featured Comparing the CSB To The NIV In Psalms

C will stand for the CSB, and N will stand for the NIV. Just some observations. When I reference a footnote or mention Lit. --these are from the CSB.

Psalm 2:12
C : Pay homage to the son
N : Kiss his son
Lit : kiss.

2:12
C : All who take refuge in him are happy
N : Blessed are all who take refuge in him

The word 'happy' seems Namby-Pamby.

4:4
C : Be angry
N : Tremble
Footnote : tremble

7:9
C : examines the thoughts and emotions
N : probes minds and hearts
The CSB rendering sounds rather psychological.

Psalm 8 in the CSB reads in a non-Messianic fashion, as does the NIV..

10:3
C : the one who is greedy curses
N : he blesses the greedy
Footnote : he blesses the greedy

10:4
C : There's no accountability, since there is no God
N : there is no room for God
It's not that the unconverted believe God doesn't exist. It's that they think God doesn't notice or care.

10:5
C : His was ways are always secure
N : His ways are always prosperous
Footnote : Or prosperous.

10:15
C : the wicked, evil person
N : the wicked man
Thought I'd show that the NIV uses the word 'man' a good deal more than critics would admit.

 

11:1
C : the mountains
N : your mountain
Lit. your mountain

16:7
C : at night my thoughts trouble me
N : at night my heart instructs me
Footnote : at night my heart instructs me

17:7
C : who rebel against your right hand
N : you who save by your right hand
Footnote : who you save by your right hand

21:9
C : the Lord will engulf them in his wrath
N : The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath
The word 'swallow' is used by the NKJV, LEB, NASB, NRSV, WEB and EHV among others.

21:10
C : progeny
N : descendants
Progeny is a shorter, but largely unfamiliar word to most readers.

22:22
C : to my brothers and sisters
N : to my people

22:24
C : the torment of the oppressed
N : the suffering of the afflicted one
Christ is referencing himself as 'the afflicted one.' The CSB doesn't clarify this.

22:28
C : for kingship belongs to the Lord
N : for dominion belongs to the Lord
The word 'dominion' seems to be the better word choice. To me it has a much broader scope than mere kingship.

 

23:6
C : will pursue me all the days of my life
N : will follow me all the days of my life
CSB has the better word choice in opting for the word 'pursue.' It's not just following, but actively pursuing. Some other versions have pursue : CEB, EHV, ISV, LEB, NABRE, NET, NLT and NJB. The Word 'chase' would also suffice in a more dynamic version. Have you ever heard of the poem "The Hound Of Heaven"?

24:5
C : righteousness
N : vindication
Footnote : vindication

25:17
C : the distresses of my heart increase
N : Relieve the troubles of my heart

25:21
C : May integrity and what is right watch over me
N : May integrity and uprightness protect me
Protect is a better word choice as the EHV, NASB and NLT have it. But 'preserve' is good too, as many versions render it.

 

Happy

As it occurs in the whole canon of Scripture within the following Bible translations :

CEB : 156
NRSV : 83
NET : 73
NLT : 52
CSB : 46
EHV : 32
LEB : 24
NIV : 20

Only as it occurs in the book of Psalms :

CEB : 33
NRSV : 28
NET : 27
CSB : 23
LEB : 7
EHV : 6
NLT : 4
NIV : 4
NIV : 4

 

Psalm 26:4
C : I do not sit with the worthless
N : I do not sit with the deceitful
The NABRE and NRSV agree with the CSB. The LEB, NASB, NCB, NET and WEB agree with the NIV wording.

26:5
C : I hate a crowd of evildoers
N : I abhor the assembly of evildoers
The NIV has a better Bible feel here. I know, it's totally subjective.

28:8
C : for his anointed
N : for his anointed one
Anointed one as the CEB and LEB also render it, makes it plain that the Davidic king is specified.

37:35
C : I have seen a wicked, violent person.
N : I have seen a wicked and ruthless man.
Again, the NIV shows no hesitancy to use the word 'man.'
How about the usage of the word 'person' in the book of Psalms in three Bible translations :
CSB : 28
NET : 9
NIV : 6

38:3
C : because of your indignation
N : because of your wrath
Anger or wrath is the better word choice. See 38:1, just a few verses before this one.

38:22
C : My lord, my salvation
N : my Lord and my Savior
The HCSB had it right by using the NIV rendering. but the NCV, NLT and NJB agree with the NIV wording. In the end 'my salvation' and 'my Savior' boil down to the same thing.

 

39:4
C : so that I will know how short-lived I am
N : let me know how fleeting life is
The NIV wording has a better flow.

39:12
C : an alien, a temporary resident
N : a foreigner, a stranger
"An alien" is an odd word choice.

39:13
C : that I may be cheered up
N : that I may enjoy life again

40:2
C : a desolate pit
N : the slimy pit
Footnote : watery
The word slimy indicates moisture at the very least.

40:17
C : oppressed and needy
N : poor and needy
Most translations have "poor and needy." A handful have the CSB wording.

 

41:8
C : Something awful has overwhelmed him, and he won't rise again from where he lives.
N : A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lives.
Doesn't it make sense that a terrible disease or sickness has impacted him? Otherwise why can't he rise from his bed.

44:14
C : a laughingstock among the people
N : the peoples shake their heads at us
Footnote : Lit: shaking of the head

45:16
C : Your sons will succeed your ancestors
N : Your sons will take the place of your fathers
The parallelism is lost in the CSB rendering. Sons and fathers is more appropriate than sons and ancestors.

46:5
C : She will not be toppled
N : She will not fall
Take your pick : crumble, tumble, moved, shake, shakes, shaken etc. I prefer simplicity. See also 46:2.

46:10
C : stop fighting
N : Be still
"Be still" is the classic expression for this passage. But the NET and NASB have "stop striving." The choice is yours.

49:17
C : his wealth will not follow him down
N : their splendor will not descend with them
I prefer the wording of the NIV here. The EHV, ESV and WEB have "his glory."

 

50:2
C : God appears in radiance
N : God shines forth
Footnote : God shines forth

51:3
C : I am conscious of my rebellion
N : I know my transgressions
The CSB wording is weak. It's like I'm vaguely aware. No, I know.

51:9
C : Turn your face away
N : Hide your face
Footnote : Lit. Hide your face

52:7
C : taking refuge in his destructive behavior
N : grew strong by destroying others
The CSB's wording sounds too psychological for my taste --even kind of woke. The NKJV has an even better take : "strengthened himself in his wickedness". Or even R.K. Harrison's "Psalms for Today' words it :"flourished in his wickedness."

 

54:3
C : They do not let God guide them
N : people without regard for God
It's more serious than the way the CSB words it. These people don't care or think about God. There "is no room in their thoughts for God" (NJB). As the ESV has it "They do not set God before themselves."

54:7
C : my eye has looked down on my enemies
N : in triumph on my foes
The NIV wording is like that of the NLT, NRSV, WEB and ESV.

56:8
C : wanderings
N : misery
Footnote : misery

56:11
C : mere humans
N : man

59:13
C : know throughout the earth
N : known to the ends of the earth
Footnote : know to the ends of

 

60:2
C : Heal its fissures
N : mend its fractures
Cracks, breaks, even breaches are understandable. But 'fissures' is unnecessary.

64:5
C : Who will see them?
N : Who will see it?
Footnote : it

65:1
C : Praise is rightfully yours
N : Praise awaits you
Footnote : praise awaits you

68:30
C : Trample underfoot those with bars of silver
N : Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver
ISV : humbling themselves
NET : being humbled
WEB : they humble themselves

69:35
C : and build up
N : and rebuild
Footnote : and rebuild

 

73:28
C : God's presence is my good
N : it is good to be near God

78:38
C : did not unleash all his wrath
N : did not stir up all his wrath
Footnote : stir up

78:49
C : a band of deadly messengers
N : a band of destroying angels
Footnote : angels

79:8
C : Do not hold past iniquities against us
N : Do not hold against us the sins of past generations
Footnote : hold the sins of past generations against us

80:6
C : You put us at odds with our neighbors
N : You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors
ESV,NASB : You make us an object of contention for our neighbor
NLT, NRSV : You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations

82:7
C : You will die like humans
N : You will die like mortals
NLT : You will die like mere mortals

 

84:4
C : How happy are those
N : Blessed are those

84:5
C : Happy are the people
N : Blessed are those

84:12
C : happy is the person
N : blessed is the one

Just happy, happy, happy. I want to campaign for the reintroduction of the word 'blessed' into our Bible translations instead of the vacuous 'happy.'
See post # 5 for more information.

84:11
C : those who live with integrity
N : those whose walk is blameless
I know the NIV doesn't always live up to the consistency of using the word walk. It sometimes uses the word 'live' instead. But the word 'walk' has a special significance.
I do like the way the NIV renders part of Gal. 5:25 though. Let us keep in step with the Spirit. It retains the main aspect of walking which is stepping.

86:8
C : there are no works like yours
N : no deeds can compare with yours

86:14
C : They do not let you guide them
N : they have no regard for you
See post #10 --Psalm 54:3

 

90:1
C : our refuge
N : our dwelling place
Footnote : dwelling place

90:12
C : develop wisdom in our hearts
N : gain a heart of wisdom
Footnote : develop a heart of wisdom

94:6
C : the resident alien
N : the foreigner
Using the word 'alien' is silly.

101:2
C : I will pay attention to the way of integrity
N : I will be careful to lead a blameless life
NLT : I will be careful to live a blameless life
NRSV : I will study the way that is blameless
WEB : I will be careful to live a blameless life

102:24
C : in the middle of my life
N : in the midst of my days
Lit. my days

 

104:8
C : mountains rose and valleys sank
N : they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys
Footnote : They flowed over the mountains and went down the valleys

v. 19
C : to mark the festivals
N : to mark the seasons
Most translations have 'seasons.'

v. 30
C : send your breath
N : send your Spirit
Footnote : Spirit

 

106:20
C : their glory
N : God
Footnote : God

107:42
C : all injustice shuts its mouth
N : all the wicked shut their mouths
EHV, ESV, LEB : all wickedness shuts its mouth

109:31
C : For he stands at the right hand of the needy to save him from those who would contemn him.
N : For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
NLT : For he stands beside the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
NRSV : For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them from death.
CEB : For he stands right next to the needy, to save them from any who would condemn them.

the needy
the righteous
the poor
the rich
the wicked

All five wordings refer to many. It's a plural construction.
"...the right hand of the needy to save him" is poor grammar.

110:2
C : Rule over your surrounding enemies.
N : Rule in the midst of your enemies.
Footnote : Rule in the midst of your

111:7
C : truth and justice
N : faithful and just
The ESV and NRSV have the same wording.
The LEB has : faithfulness and justice.

 

Yes, I was quoting from the current NIV. The 2011 has been around for nearly a dozen years. (The text was first put on-line in November of 2010.) So, since it has been around for that span of time I just call it the NIV. If I ever refer to the older version I just say the 84 edition.

Naturally I prefer the NIV to the CSB. But the latter still is a good one. It's an improvement over the HCSB.

 

112:4
C : he is gracious, compassionate and righteous
N : for those who are gracious, compassionate and righteous
NRSV : they are gracious, merciful and righteous
WEB : for the upright, gracious, merciful and righteous
CEB : They are merciful, compassionate and righteous

It's about the godly --not God Himself.

112:10
C : in despair
N : and waste away
WEB, NASB, NRSV, EHV : and melt away
LEB : becomes weak
NABRE : and wastes away

 

115:1
C : truth
N : faithfulness
NABRE, NET, NLT, NRSV, CEB, all have 'faithfulness.'

120:4
C : with burning charcoal!
N : with burning coals of the broom bush
Lit. with coals of the broom bush

122:6
C : Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem
N : Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
All of the following have 'peace' : CEB, EHV, ESV, ISV, LEB, NABRE, NET, NLT, NRSV and WEB

123:2
C : show us favor
N : shows us his mercy
All of the following have 'mercy' : CEB, ESV, ISV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV and WEB

The same applies to 123:3

125:3
C : injustice
N : evil
The NABRE, WEB, EHV have 'evil.' The LEB has 'wickedness.' Other translations have 'do wrong' or 'iniquity.' Why does the CSB use the word 'injustice' here?

127:3
C : sons
N : children
The following use 'children.' : ESV, EHV, ISV, KJV, LEB, NASB, NKJV, NLT and WEB.

The same thing applies to 127:4