The psalm closes, typically, with a statement of serene confidence.

As for me: Revised Standard Version takes the Hebrew first person pronoun to be emphatic, establishing a sharp difference between the wicked and their fate, and the psalmist’s own future. If the translator follows this interpretation, a possible translation is “But I, on my part” or “But my own situation is this.”

I shall behold thy face (Good News Translation “I will see you”) may be rendered in some languages more effectively as “I will be in your presence” or “I will be where you are,” but the choice of translation may depend on the translator’s interpretation of when I awake.

It is difficult to decide what is meant by in righteousness, which modifies I shall behold thy face. New English Bible has “my plea is just”; New Jerusalem Bible “Then I, justified (will behold your face)”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “But I, in truth, will be satisfied (to see you face to face)”; also possible is “when I am acquitted.” Good News Translation has taken the word to mean the basis for the psalmist’s confidence that he will see Yahweh, “because I have done no wrong.” Similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “I have no fault,” and New Jerusalem Bible “But I in my uprightness will see your face.”

It is also difficult to determine what when I awake refers to. Some scholars believe that this psalm and those like it were used by an individual in a ritual in the Temple; he would spend the night there, waiting for Yahweh’s answer (see Weiser, Anderson). The following morning, therefore, when he awoke, he would expect to receive Yahweh’s favorable response. Others, however, take it to refer to awaking from death, that is, resurrection (so Dahood). In translation it is best, if possible, to use a word meaning literally “to wake up” which does not exclude either possibility (that is, of waking up from sleep or “waking up” from death).

I shall be satisfied can be taken in the sense of “I will be sated,” that is, “filled” (so New Jerusalem Bible). It seems better to take it in the sense of “be pleased,” “be content.”

Thy form recalls Num 12.8, where Yahweh states that Moses has spoken to him face to face and has seen his “form.” It is doubtful the psalmist thought of Yahweh as having a material body; so Good News Translation “your presence”; New English Bible “a vision of thee”; New Jerusalem Bible “the vision of You.” The Septuagint translated “and I shall be filled at the appearance of your glory.” Good News Translation‘s “your presence” may need to be rendered “where you are.” In some languages verse 15b may be rendered idiomatically as “When I awake, my heart will sit cool because I am in the place where you are” or, nonfiguratively, “When I awake, I will be happy because I am near you.”

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 .