Help translates the Hebrew verb “to save,” which is used some forty-seven times in Psalms; it means to rescue, save, deliver from illness, physical peril, enemies, or death–anything that threatens the well-being or life of the one who prays. It is the verb from which the noun “savior” is formed, as is the proper name Joshua (which in its Greek form becomes Jesus). In translation it is frequently necessary to make explicit the condition from which one is being saved or rescued. In the present context “evil” or “evil people” is implied.

Since the psalm expresses the feeling of a group, Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have added “us” (the Septuagint has “me”).

In exaggerated language the psalmist says that “the godly have come to an end (same verb as in 7.9), and the faithful have vanished.” For godly see comments at 4.3.

The faithful translates an adjective formed from a verb meaning to be firm, true, constant; here the word may be taken either as “faithful people” (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or as an abstract, “faithfulness, loyalty” (so New English Bible, New American Bible). The personal form seems more likely, since it is parallel with the godly in line a. New Jerusalem Bible translates the two “the faithful … the loyal”; Bible en français courant “the loyal … the trustworthy people.” It is often unnatural to speak elliptically of people by a quality which characterizes them, as in the faithful. One may say, however, “people who remain loyal to you” or “people who follow you faithfully.”

The verb in the Hebrew text translated have vanished is a form that is otherwise unknown; most scholars correct it to a verb found elsewhere (see 77.8, where the other verb “come to an end” is also used as a parallel).1 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project is of the opinion that the verb may be translated either “they are diminished” (that is, there are fewer of them; so the Septuagint) or “they have disappeared” (that is, there are no more left).

For the sons of men see comment at 11.4, where Revised Standard Version translates the same Hebrew expression as “the children of men.” The expression among the sons of men is not explicitly rendered in Good News Translation. In other languages it may be necessary to complete the idea of disappearing; for example, “they are no longer seen by men’s eyes,” or actively, “people no longer see them.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .