Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Psalm 8 For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
35 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
King James Version · 1611
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
31 words · Formal / word-for-word
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
21 words · Essentially literal
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!Your glory is higher than the heavens.
16 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
The Message · 2002
A David psalm God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
11 words · Contemporary paraphrase
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
32 words · Most literal English translation
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Psalms 8:1 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.