The psalmist foretells the punishment that God will inflict on the wicked. Weiser believes this section speaks of God’s past actions of punishment, but most commentators and translators understand it to refer to God’s future action.
God will punish the wicked in the same way they persecute others (verse 4), that is, he will shoot his arrow at them (see the same figure in 7.12-13). This may refer to punishment in general or to sickness in particular (as it appears to mean in 38.2).
In verse 7b suddenly expresses the idea of surprise on the part of the evildoers, “before they know it….” And they will be wounded may be taken to mean “they will be defeated,” “they will be shot down (or, shot dead).” See New Jerusalem Bible “they shall be struck down.”
In verse 8a, as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation footnotes indicate, the Masoretic text does not make sense; it seems to say “they make him (or, it) stumble, against (or, upon) them their tongues.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project takes this to mean that they, the wicked, caused their tongue to stumble against themselves, that is, they said things that harmed themselves. Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version translate the same emended Hebrew text. A rendering that is different: “Their evil speech recoils upon themselves”; New Jerusalem Bible translates the Masoretic text, “Their tongue shall be their downfall” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “they will fall because of their own words”; New English Bible (with a correction) is similar, “but their mischievous tongues are their undoing.” The translator may prefer to follow Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (see especially New Jerusalem Bible), or else follow the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation conjecture.
As a result of their punishment everyone else will view them with scorn (verse 8b); they will wag their heads (see 22.7), and they will fear (verses 8b, 9a). Some take the Hebrew verb form translated “they will shake their heads” to be from the verb “to run away” (as in 31.11). In many languages the phrase wag their heads, if translated as in Good News Translation “shake their heads,” will have an ambiguous meaning, as this gesture can signify many different concepts and attitudes. Therefore it will be necessary to use an appropriate expression to signify “making fun of.”
In verse 9a will fear could be understood to mean “will be afraid of God”; while possible, the meaning is probably that they will “be afraid” of what may happen next, whether it comes from God or from others.
Good News Translation has reversed the two lines in verse 9b,c in order to place “they will think” before “tell.” The verb translated they will … ponder can be understood to mean “they will understand” (so New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy); “they will learn” (so New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).
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 .