In verse 9 the psalmist refers to the extreme east and the extreme west. Revised Standard Version gives the wrong impression that the actions of the two lines are part of one event, take the wings … and dwell. The Hebrew lines show two distinct events, “If I take…, if I dwell….” The exact meaning of the language in verse 9a, If I take the wings of the morning, is in dispute; in parallel with verse 9b (which clearly refers to the farthest west) it seems probable that the language is a figurative way of speaking of going to the east, where the sun comes up (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “if I were to fly away to the east”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Were I to fly to where the sun rises”; and Bible en français courant is similar). In verse 9b the uttermost parts of the sea means as far as one could go to the west; the sea is the Mediterranean, which is west of Palestine. In many languages the directions in verse 9 can best be expressed as “where the sun rises” and “where the sun sets.” However, if the translator wishes to keep the geography of Palestine in view, he may translate “west” as does Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, “the borders of the western sea.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “to the end of the seas, where the sun sinks.”

Wherever he may go, the psalmist knows that Yahweh is there to lead him and to hold him (verse 10); the second verb in Hebrew is “to hold, grasp,” in the positive sense of helping or sustaining, not in the negative sense of seizing or arresting.

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 .