This passage was laid in my path at an important hour. And it happened that I read it in the King James Version, found it lovely and reassuring. Perhaps it will be good for you wherever you are and whatever you are going through.
Psalm 77:1-14
1I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
I know that certain translators (e.g. Eugene Peterson) think the Psalter in the AV is too polished and elevated — not reflecting the “earthy” and “rough” Hebrew. I know no Hebrew, but I consistently find that the Psalter startles me much more when I read the AV and, especially, when I read Coverdale. The modern versions give you little, if anything, so gripping as “is his mercy clean gone for ever?”
Good as Coverdale and the AV may be, I really, really wish Tyndale had lived to translate the Psalms. 🙁
I agree. I feel like I am only beginning to understand Hebrew poetry, though, like you, I have no Hebrew. But I love the King James as English poetry and prose, sometimes it is spectacular.
I have no comprehension of Tyndale’s gifts compared to either, but I’ll take your word for it for now. 🙂
On Tyndale, you might check this out for starters:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/biographies/always-singing-one-note-a-vernacular-bible
And the scholarly biography of Tyndale (by David Daniell) upon which Piper bases his message is amazing.