Verses 8-13 are God’s answer to his people’s prayer. It is delivered through a prophet or a priest in the Temple, or else by the psalmist himself. The LORD’s promise is peace (for shalom see also comments on 29.11), which includes both spiritual and material well-being, health, soundness; Weiser translates here “salvation”; also possible is “well-being.”
Verse 8 begins with the psalmist’s determination to hear God’s message. A better translation than Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation may be “I will now listen….” The present tense “is saying…. promises” (Good News Translation; see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) seems preferable to the future will speak … will speak (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New International Version), since it provides at once the message which comes from God in response to the people’s prayer. The sudden injection of the first person into the psalm will create some misunderstanding for the reader, unless an explanation is provided. This may be done in one of three ways: a) by introducing the speaker into the text; for example, “the psalmist says to the people…”; b) by means of a subtitle placed at the beginning of verse 8; for example, “The psalmist speaks to the people for God”; and c) by means of a note. The translator should evaluate for his language which of the foregoing will be most appropriate for the reader.
The people of Israel are spoken of as his people and his saints (for saints see comments on “godly” in 4.3); Good News Translation has shortened and combined the two into “us, his own people.”
The line that follows is not easy to understand; the Hebrew text seems to mean “and they do not turn to folly” (see also Revised Standard Version footnote). Good News Translation (also Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Weiser) represents the Masoretic text (with a change in person from the third plural to the first plural) by “if we do not go back to our foolish ways”; Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, and New American Bible follow the Septuagint, emending the text to get who turn to him in their hearts. This makes sense; but, as McCullough states, it is not exact to say that the Masoretic text does not make sense. It is not necessary for the translator to depart from the Masoretic text. Here Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“C” decision) splits; of the committee members, the majority prefers the Masoretic text, translating “provided they do not go back to folly!”; the minority votes for the Septuagint, “and to (those who) turn to him with their heart.”
In verse 9 the people are assured that God will save them; Good News Translation “those who honor him (or, who obey him)” represents the meaning of those who fear him (see 15.4 and comments).
In verse 9b glory represents the revealed presence of God with his people; so Good News Translation “his saving presence” (see Toombs “his authoritative presence”). The presence of God was manifested by a shining light that filled the Tent of the LORD’s Presence, where God met with his people (Exo 40.34-35), and later the Temple (see 2 Chr 7.1-3); here the promise is made that this same visible presence of God will remain in Israel. In many languages it is unnatural to speak of an abstract such as glory “living in the land.” At the same time Good News Translation‘s “saving presence” presents an equally difficult expression. However, it is often possible to reformulate the Good News Translation expression as two clauses; for example, “he will show himself to us and save us in Israel.”
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 .