At Home with Praise

While reading Exodus 15:2, I noticed something odd between two different versions.

Look at this:

Here’s the King James version:

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He is become my salvation:
He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

And here’s the New King James version:

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Did you see it? In the third line, the KJV says, “I will prepare Him an habitation,” but the NKJV says, “I will praise Him.”

At this point, some assume there’s a mistake in the translation, but all I see is a cue to dig deeper.

A quick check of Strong’s concordance explains the Hebrew word behind the phrase:

navah — a primitive root; to rest (as at home); causatively (through the implied idea of beauty (compare naveh)), to celebrate (with praises) — keep at home, prepare an habitation.

It seems the KJV got it right, but does that mean the newer translation is wrong?

No! God’s Word is much too cool for that.

Take a look at Psalm 22:3:

But Thou art holy,
O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

You see, God inhabits praises — you “prepare a habitation” by praising Him.

In other words: when you praise Him, God makes Himself at home in the middle of your praise.

Praise Him!