And Judith said: Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version sensibly introduce the song with “sang” rather than the literal said, but actually nothing at all is needed here. The last verse has provided an adequate introduction to the psalm.
Begin a song to my God with tambourines is literally “Begin to my God with tambourines.” The idea of song is implied but not stated; the people would be singing, and accompanying themselves with the tambourines and cymbals. Almost exactly the same usage is found in the Greek of Psa 146.7 (Hebrew and English Psa 147.7). It is a Greek idiom rather than a Hebrew one The Hebrew original of Judith probably had no idea of Begin. On this ground, Good News Translation and Gonzáles and Alonso-Schöckel say simply “Praise” or “Sing.” If one does want to work Begin into the text, New Jerusalem Bible takes an effective route: “Break into song for my God….” A tambourine was a small drum-like instrument, which consisted of a skin or membrane of some kind stretched on a frame. It was held in one hand and struck with the other. In the Bible it is associated primarily with processions of celebration; compare 2 Sam 6.5; 1 Chr 13.8; Psa 68.25. In cultures where tambourines are unknown, a word for some sort of small drum may be used.
Sing to my Lord with cymbals: Cymbals must have resembled the modern instrument—two thin metal pieces held by hand and clashed together.
The first two lines are almost synonymous in meaning. They use two different expressions to refer to God: my God and my Lord. In languages that will not use poetry here it may be confusing to the reader to keep both lines, so one may combine them into one line; for example, “Sing a song to my Lord God…” or simply “Sing a song to God….”
Raise to him a new psalm means to sing a psalm, play the music on instruments, or both. Good News Translation translates “play a new song” since it follows the mention of “drums and cymbals.” One could just as easily translate “sing a new song”; it is the translator’s choice. A new psalm is literally “a psalm and praise” in the standard Greek text. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation are reading a text different from the standard one. A very slight adjustment of the Greek produces the reading new psalm or “new song,” which is found in some manuscripts here and in the majority of manuscripts at 16.13. It is a familiar phrase in the poetry of the Old Testament. Although Moore objects to the reading new psalm, it is probably the original reading here, and most translations accept it (New Jerusalem Bible and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible do not). Whichever reading is chosen, a textual footnote is needed for the other option. We suggest following Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. An appropriate footnote for Good News Translation would be as follows: “new song; other manuscripts a song and a praise.”
Exalt him means “praise him.”
Call upon his name does not necessarily mean “call on him for help” (Good News Translation). It simply refers to “invoking God,” with no special purpose built in. If a verb that specifies the purpose must be used, one suggesting praise is more appropriate here than one implying a call for help. In many languages the two clauses Exalt him and call upon his name will be combined; for example, “Tell him how great he is.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Sing a song to my [or, our] Lord God.
Use the drums and cymbals to praise him.
Sing a new song to him,
telling him how great he is.
Good News Translation rearranges the order of the lines in this verse and translators should study this model to see if it will be more natural in their language.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.