With verse 11 the psalmist joins the themes of sin-suffering and fleeting existence, and in doing so returns to the three-line pattern, which he uses again in verse 12a-c before returning in verses 12d-e and 13 to the two-line verse.

Lines a and b are circumstantial clauses, as Revised Standard Version‘s translation shows. It may be better to translate them as complete statements, as Good News Translation does (also Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). When … with rebukes for sin can be rendered in some languages as “You punish a person’s sins with your strong words” or “You speak hard words and punish a person for doing wrong things.”

The figure in line c, like a moth, seems to be applied to God, which is strange (but see Hos 5.12, where it is applied to God). New American Bible changes the comparison by translating “cobweb”: “you dissolve like a cobweb all that is dear to him.” But, unusual as it is, “moth” is a valid comparison, since it is a biblical figure for destruction and decay (see Job 13.28; Isa 50.9; Matt 6.19-20). Bible en français courant translates “like a worm in a fruit, you consume what man loves.”

What is dear to him probably refers to life, the most precious thing a person owns; New International Version, however, has “their wealth,” and New Jerusalem Bible “what he treasures.”

Once more (line d) the psalmist emphasizes how fleeting and frail is human existence (see verse 5c).

Selah: see 3.2.

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 .