Good News Translation attempts to keep the reader focused on the fact that this is a prayer to God and tries to be more natural in English, so it shifts the address “Sovereign LORD” to the beginning of this verse. Bible en français courant similarly moves this element forward from the end of verse 53.

Let thy eyes be open: See the comments on this expression in verse 29.

Thy servant is either a reference to Solomon himself (Bible en français courant) or to any future king (Good News Translation). In either case it will probably be unwise to translate the text literally as Revised Standard Version has done. See the comments on verses 28 and 36.

Giving ear to them is literally “to hear them.” In this case a literal rendering of the Hebrew may be more natural than the Revised Standard Version translation.

Whenever they call to thee: Implicit in the verb call is the idea of asking for help. If this is not implied in the receptor language, then this information may be supplied. New Century Version says “anytime they ask you for help” (similarly Good News Translation).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .