I know, my God, that thou triest the heart: The shift from “our God” in verses 13 and 16 to my God in this verse is not indicated in Good News Translation. But if possible, this shift in the Hebrew should be preserved in translation since David speaks even more personally to God as my God. However, in those languages where my God would be understood as excluding others, it may have to be made more inclusive.

Thou triest the heart means “you examine our motives” (New Jerusalem Bible). The heart implies the hearts of all people and this will have to be made explicit in some languages as New Jerusalem Bible has done by adding the pronoun “our.” Another way of doing this is to speak of “everyone’s heart” as Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have done.

In Hebrew the pronouns translated I and thou are significant in the prayer at this point and may suggest a stronger contrast than is shown in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. Compare Chouraqui, which begins this verse with “I know, God, yes, you, you examine the heart … As for me, in the uprightness of my heart….” But since the Hebrew word translated triest is a participle, the pronoun “you” seems to be required grammatically and probably does not show emphasis.

Hast pleasure in uprightness may be translated “You are happy when people do what is right” (New Century Version), “you delight in integrity” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “integrity pleases you” (Revised English Bible).

In the uprightness of my heart may be translated “with good motives” (New Living Translation), “With a sincere heart” (New American Bible), or “with an honest heart” (Revised English Bible).

I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen thy people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to thee: Freely offered and offering freely render the same Hebrew verb, which occurred earlier in verses 5, 6, 9, and 14. This verb focuses on the voluntary nature of the giving (see the comments on 1 Chr 29.5). Because of the order of words in the Hebrew at the end of this verse, the word translated joyously may be connected in meaning either (1) with the words I have seen or (2) with the words offering freely. King James Version follows this first interpretation by saying “and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.” Compare “and have rejoiced now to see your people who are here present give willingly to you” (Revised English Bible) and “And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you” (New International Version). Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the second interpretation, and so does New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “now Your people who are present here–I saw them joyously making freewill offerings.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .