The psalmist prays that Yahweh’s glory will last forever. Here glory is his power and majesty as revealed in his creation of and dominion over all living creatures (see in 19.1 where God’s glory is parallel with his works). Verse 31b recalls the repeated assertion in Genesis 1 that God was pleased with all that he had created. The wish expressed in the English expression May the glory of the LORD endure must often be recast in other languages, sometimes as a direct imperative, or by such expressions as “I pray that…” or “I wish that….”

Verse 32 emphasizes Yahweh’s complete power and dominion; he has only to look at the earth, and it trembles, only to touch the mountains, and they smoke (that is, they pour out smoke, or burst into flames). The two seem to refer, respectively, to earthquakes and the eruptions of volcanoes.

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 .