In verse 11 the psalmist prays for God’s guidance; line a is exactly like 27.11a; line b is almost exactly like 26.3b: “and I will walk in your ʾemet” (see 15.2 and comments). Some, as in 26.3, take the word here to mean “your truth” (Revised Standard Version, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New American Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Others, like Good News Translation, take it to mean “loyalty, faithfulness,” and take the phrase “your faithfulness” to mean “faithfulness to you” (so New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Dahood). In this context Good News Translation may have the better interpretation.

The last line of verse 11 in Hebrew is unite my heart to fear thy name. Good News Translation and others take the verb unite here to signify single-hearted, complete devotion; New International Version “an undivided heart,” New English Bible “let me be one in heart.” Some, following the Septuagint and Syriac, use different vowels for the Hebrew consonants, so that instead of “unite (my heart)” the text reads “(my heart) will rejoice” (Briggs, Oesterley, An American Translation). But the Masoretic text does make sense. And to fear thy name may mean either “to serve you” or “to worship you” (so New Jerusalem Bible); many have “to revere your name,” which means “to honor you” (see 85.9). Bible en français courant translates “Place in me this one preoccupation: to remain submissive to your authority”; and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, “Let my only concern be to honor you and to obey you.” In line c Good News Translation has repeated “teach me” for clarity and emphasis.

Verse 12a is almost exactly the same as 9.1a; and verse 12b makes use of words found in verse 9c. My whole heart in line a repeats the idea of “an undivided heart” in verse 11c. The expression glorify thy name may be rendered in some languages as “I will always tell everyone that you are great,” or in direct address, “I will always tell the people ‘You, God, are great.’ ”

For steadfast love in verse 13a, see 5.7 and comments.

The language of verse 13b (“you rescued my nefesh from the depths of Sheol”), if taken literally, means that God saved the psalmist from what seemed to be certain death, either from a near-fatal illness or else at the hands of his enemies (see next verse). It is possible that the language is figurative and that the psalmist is praising God for having saved him from a very difficult situation that did not necessarily threaten his life. In some languages “saved me from the grave itself” would be taken to mean that the psalmist was somehow resurrected from death. Since this can hardly be the meaning, it is better in many languages to avoid a figurative expression and to say, for example, “you kept me from dying” or “you rescued me when I was about to be killed.” For delivered see the same verb in 7.1.

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 .