In verses 43-45 the psalmist describes how God made him ruler and kept him secure from rebellious subjects, both national and foreign.

For didst deliver see the same verb in 17.13. The Hebrew phrase “the strivings of a people” in line a is taken by Good News Translation to mean rebellious subjects, that is, a civil uprising (so Weiser, Briggs); thus also possible is “people who rebel against me.” It may be advisable to make the meaning clear by translating “my people,” as New Jerusalem Bible does. Revised Standard Version has chosen to follow the Septuagint peoples, thus making line a parallel with lines b and c; it seems better, however, to stay with the singular form of the Hebrew text and take it to mean the people of Israel. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“B” decision) prefers the singular form of the Masoretic text. “A rebellious people” must sometimes be expressed as “people who refuse to obey their rulers” or “people who say ‘No’ to their chief.” Head of the nations means ruler of Gentile nations, as the following lines show. The king of Israel rules over a great empire (see the account of David’s conquests in 2 Sam 8.1-14).

Nations must often be rendered “tribe” when this is the largest political unit known.

People whom I had not known is a way of referring to foreigners; and the Hebrew verb “to serve” here means to come under his rule, to become his subjects.

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 .