The statement in verse 3 is emphatic: without any speech or words or audible voice, the report about God’s glory continues to be made. Their in verses 3b and 4a-b refers to “the heavens” and “the firmament” of verse 1. In verse 3b the meaning can be that they did speak but were not heard, as Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation implies. It seems preferable, however, to understand the line to mean “they uttered no audible voice.” Weiser translates the verse differently: “There is no language nor are there words in which their voice is not heard.” This is possible but does not seem very likely.

Speech should not be rendered as a speech given in the form of a public address but as the generic event, the act of speaking. In some languages it will be necessary to shift to a clause saying, for example, “they do not talk using words,” or using a simile, “they do not make words like people who talk with their mouths.”

In line a of verse 4 the Hebrew text has “their line”; following ancient versions, many commentaries and translations understand the text to say “their voice.” Dahood and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, however, maintain that the Hebrew word means “their call.” New English Bible interprets “line” as the string of a musical instrument and translates “their music” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Since the report is soundless, something like “message, report” is better than voice (some may have “their testimony”).

Yet their voice goes out must often be rendered “yet what they say can be heard everywhere.” If one keeps the parallelism, all the earth may be rendered as “everywhere,” and the end of the world as “wherever people live on the earth.”

As translated by the Septuagint, verse 4a-b is quoted by Paul in Romans 10.18 and applied to the spread of the Christian message.

The psalmist concentrates on the sun (verses 4c-6) as the greatest of all created things. In contrast with the tendency of many ancient peoples to worship the sun as a god, Hebrew faith held firmly to the unique position that Yahweh alone was the sole ruler of the universe. It is God who “pitched a tent” in the sky for the sun, where it spends the night before coming out in the morning. Tent in modern English is a temporary dwelling place, which is not necessarily implied by the Hebrew word; so Good News Translation has “home.”

In them means “In the heavens”; so Good News Translation “in the sky.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, however, takes it to refer to the ends of the earth.4c- Instead of “in them” of the Masoretic text, some prefer to follow a text meaning “in the sea” (see Weiser). It will sometimes be necessary to indicate that the house in the sky is “for the sun to live in.”

The sun is pictured as a bridegroom and as a strong man, figures which are intended to convey a sense of vitality, strength, joy, endurance. Like a bridegroom is sometimes expressed “like a happy man who leads his bride to his village” or “like a man who has married a woman.”

The word translated chamber is found only here and in Isaiah 4.5 (“canopy”) and Joel 2.16. In connection with bridegroom, this chamber refers to a temporary pavilion, or canopy, provided for newlyweds and set up in the groom’s home. To avoid unnecessary cultural difficulties, the translation can be “it leaves its room in the morning….”

In this context the strong man is most probably an athlete rather than a warrior or a fighter (see New American Bible footnote). Good News Translation “athlete” must sometimes be rendered “runner,” or simply “like a man who runs a race.”

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 .