It is to be noticed that in the Hebrew text (see Revised Standard Version) there are no verbs in verses 9-12; actually verses 7-12 are one long sentence (see New Jerusalem Bible), with the one verb Praise at the beginning of verse 7. In many languages it will be necessary to imitate Good News Translation and have the verb “Praise” at the beginning of verses 9 and 11.

All plant life is commanded to praise Yahweh (verse 9); Good News Translation “forests” translates the word cedars, which are here representative of all uncultivated plants, while fruit trees represent all cultivated plants. In languages in which there is no generic term for “fruit,” the use of a specific fruit tree would be unsatisfactory. Accordingly, in such languages it may be better to say “all plants and trees” or “plants which people grow, and all other plants.”

Similarly in verse 10 the whole animal kingdom is called upon to praise Yahweh. Beasts and all cattle represents “all amimals, tame and wild,” and creeping things includes all reptiles, worms, and insects (see Gen 1.24-25).

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 .