In the prayer for mercy (verses 3-4) the people complain of the contempt and scorn to which they have been subjected. Verse 3b in Hebrew is “we have been completely filled with contempt,” not their contempt for others but the contempt with which others treat them. For translation suggestions on Have mercy upon us, see “Be gracious” in 4.1; 9.13; 27.7; “Be merciful” in 57.1. It may be necessary to avoid the passive in “we have been treated with so much contempt” and say “people have treated us with so much contempt.” “Treated with contempt” may be rendered sometimes as “treated us as if we were nothing” or “treated us as if we were not people.”

The same idea is expressed in verse 4a, where “our nefesh” stands for “We” (see 3.2). In this same verse those who are at ease are the rich people, self-satisfied people who have all they want and are happy with things as they are (see Amos 6.1); New Jerusalem Bible and New Jerusalem Bible translate “the complacent.”

In verse 4c one form of the Hebrew text has the proud (so Revised Standard Version and the majority of translations); the Hebrew word occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. Another form of the Hebrew text has the phrase “proud oppressors” (so Good News Translation); both are equally fitting in the context. For translation suggestions concerning “oppressors” see “him who despoils” in 35.10.

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 .