The psalm opens with praise to Yahweh; for Blessed be … my rock see 18.46, and for rock as a metaphor for God, see comments on 18.2 (the “third” metaphor). Yahweh is the one who gives the king strength and skill in battle (verse 1b-c); the two lines are parallel and synonymous: my hands … my fingers and war … battle (see similar language in 18.34a). In languages in which the metaphor will be fully meaningful, it is possible to retain the image of the rock, or to combine the image with its meaning; for example, “he protects me like a rock.” It may be desirable in some languages to reduce lines b and c to a single line.

In verse 2 the psalmist uses language similar to that in 18.2: the first metaphor my rock (Good News Translation “my protector”) follows the text of 18.2 (also 2 Sam 22.2); the Hebrew text here has “my steadfast love,” which New Jerusalem Bible translates “my faithful one,” New Jerusalem Bible “my faithful love,” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “my ally,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “my faithful friend,” and Bible en français courant “my assurance.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project translates the Hebrew term “my loyal help, my protection.” (If nothing else, the various translations of this one Hebrew word demonstrate that translation is not an exact mechanical performance.) Good News Translation‘s noun phrases “my protector” and “my … defender” may have to be recast in some languages as verb phrases; for instance, “the one who protects me” and “the one who defends me.”

The next three metaphors (as in Revised Standard Version) are also used in 18.2: fortress (number two in the comments on 18.2), stronghold (number six), shield (number four); and deliverer and he in whom I take refuge are also used in 18.2. Good News Translation has not attempted to provide a separate word for each metaphor, since they are all so closely synonymous.

In the last line of verse 2, the Masoretic text has “my people”; many Hebrew manuscripts have “peoples” (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the form of the Masoretic text and says that there are two possible interpretations of it: “(he gives me power) over my people” or “(he gives me power) over the peoples.” One form of the text has “under me,” another form has “under him” (which An American Translation and Revised Standard Version prefer); most translations, like Good News Translation, prefer “under me.” See similar language in 18.47b (and 2 Sam 22.48b). If the translator follows Good News Translation‘s “subdues the nations under me,” it may be necessary in some languages to make explicit the resulting relation of the subjected nations to the king; for example, “He defeats the other nations and puts them under my power” or “He defeats the other nations and gives them to me to rule.”

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 .