The psalmist now describes the effect of Yahweh’s sovereignty on Gentiles and Israelites alike. The former are put to shame, that is, “dismayed” (New Jerusalem Bible), “humiliated” (Dahood). For put to shame see comments on “ashamed” in 6.10. The Hebrew text of verse 7a-b is composed of two synonymous lines (see Revised Standard Version) which Good News Translation has shortened and combined into one line. But it may be better to have three lines in translation, as follows:

• All who worship false gods,
who are proud of those worthless idols,
are put to shame.

In line a the word images (found only here in the Psalms) is the artifact itself, either of metal or of wood, while in line b the word translated idols is the same one used in 96.5. For translation notes on idols, see 96.5. Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others translate the two verbs put to shame and bow down as statements of fact; some, however, translate the first one as indicative and the second one as imperative (Dahood, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New English Bible; see Good News Translation footnote).

The Septuagint translates the Hebrew ʾelohim in line c by “his angels”; but it seems preferable to take it here in the same sense it has in verse 9b, the gods of the other nations (see 96.4-5).

In languages where bow down before does not have the meaning of “worship,” it will be necessary to make the component of worship explicit; for example, “bow down in order to worship” or “worship by bowing down.”

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 .