The psalmist uses two figures (verses 11-12), the distance that separates the heavens from the earth and the distance from the east to the west, in order to illustrate Yahweh’s great love for his people and his readiness to forgive them. For steadfast love see 5.7, and for those who fear him see 15.4.

In verse 11 the greatness of the distance of the sky from the earth is used as the basis for comparing the greatness of God’s love. In this case distance is compared with intensity. In some languages it will not be clear how two such different things can be said to be alike; in such languages it may be necessary to say something like “God loves those who honor him; he loves them so greatly, it is like the greatness with which the sky covers the earth.”

Verse 12 speaks of forgiveness in terms of Yahweh’s taking the people’s sins and placing them as far away as possible. The Hebrew uses the word “distance” as a noun and as a verb, as follows: “As is the distance from the east to the west, so he distances our sins from us” (see similar language in Micah 7.19). The meaning is that Yahweh frees his people from the power and consequences of their sins by granting them full pardon. As far as the east is from the west will have little or no meaning in some languages. It will be necessary in some cases to say, for example, “God removes our sins from us as far as the place where the sun rises is from the place where the sun sets.”

Yahweh’s mercy is compared to that of a kind father, who pities his children. The Hebrew verb means “show love, tenderness, kindness” (see 102.14b; 116.5b, “merciful”). The verb “to pity” has too great an element of sorrow in it and is not the best English equivalent of the Hebrew verb. New Jerusalem Bible is good: “As tenderly as a father treats his children, so Yahweh treats those who fear him” (see Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

Yahweh’s attitude of love and kindness (verse 13) is based on his intimate knowledge of people (verse 14); he knows that they are weak and prone to failure, creatures made of dust (see the creation story, Gen 2.7; see also Psa 90.3). Good News Translation “what we are made of” translates the noun for our frame, which is related to the verb “to form” used in Genesis 2.7; so New Jerusalem Bible “He knows how we are formed”; New English Bible, New American Bible “he knows how we are made.” The expression that we are dust will often have to be recast to say, for example, “that we have been created from dust,” and a cross reference to Genesis 2.7 provided. The expression he remembers that should not be translated by a term which implies that he forgot and then recalled, but by a term that indicates knowing. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “he well knows that….”

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 .