For The LORD reigns see 93.1. The verbs at the ends of the two lines of verse 1 are translated by Good News Translation (and New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) as statements, “the people tremble,” “the earth shakes.” Revised Standard Version, New International Version, An American Translation, and Dahood translate as exhortations, let … tremble, let … shake. For Good News Translation “his throne above the winged creatures,” see 80.1; 18.10. In verse 1b quake translates a verb found nowhere else in the Old Testament. Whether the translator follows Good News Translation or Revised Standard Version, the implied logical relation between each set of lines is that of statement followed by consequence. In some languages it will be clearer to make this relationship explicit. Therefore one may say, for example, “the LORD is king, therefore the people tremble; he sits on…, therefore the earth shakes.” The translator must be careful not to give the impression that it is the weight of the LORD on his throne that causes the earth to shake.
Zion in verse 2 stands for Jerusalem and its inhabitants; Yahweh is supreme not only over Israel but also over all the peoples. Exalted over all the peoples and Good News Translation‘s “supreme over all” may be rendered sometimes “he is the most powerful” or “he rules all the other people.”
As a result all peoples “will praise his great and majestic name” (verse 3a). Hebrew has “your name”; for consistency Good News Translation has used the third person, “his … name.” Good News Translation “majestic” translates the passive verbal adjective “fearful.” The best English equivalent is “awesome” (so New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible); terrible (An American Translation, Revised Standard Version, New English Bible) is highly unsatisfactory in current English. Some languages use figures of speech to refer to “awe-inspiring” reactions, for example, “heart stopping” or “inside melting.”
The word Holy (verse 3b) is used to describe the divine nature, the essential attribute that makes God what he is, the conviction that there is an “otherness” to God, a mode of being which is different from that of all living creatures and which makes him unique. In various places in the Bible, several consequences are drawn from this central fact, the main one being that of reverence, awe, fear, that a person feels when confronted by the holy God; the feeling of unworthiness, of inferiority, before the awesome mystery of the God of Israel. For translation suggestions regarding Holy, see 22.3; 28.2.
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 .