In these two verses the psalmist three times pleads for Yahweh’s help: Hear my prayer … give ear to my supplications … answer me. He bases his pleas on Yahweh’s faithfulness (see 36.5) and righteousness (see 5.8). Good News Translation reverses the two words, placing “righteousness” first. These are the characteristics of Yahweh as the one who is true to his promise to save his people. As used by the psalmists and other Old Testament writers, God’s righteousness is not a legal attitude that leads him to apply the law impartially to all, but it is his disposition always to save his people, to free them from their difficulties, to put them in the right relationship with himself. Both Biblia Dios Habla Hoy (“you are just and faithful”) and Bible en français courant (“you are faithful and just”) use adjectives, not abstract nouns, which makes for a better translation. In some languages In thy faithfulness and in thy righteousness may better be expressed as clauses; for example, “because you are good to your people and faithful to them, listen to my plea and help me.”

In verse 2 the psalmist confesses his own sinfulness. He asks Yahweh not to Enter … into judgment with him, for he knows that he, too, like everyone else, is guilty in God’s sight (see 14.3). The plea can be translated “Don’t put me … on trial” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible) or “Bring not … to trial” (New English Bible). Thy servant is, as often, the psalmist himself, who prays not for justice, but for mercy. Good News Translation has adjusted the Hebrew form to avoid the psalmist’s speaking of himself in the third person. The awkward phrase (no) man living translates the Hebrew “creature, living being.” In some languages in which apposition is not stylistically natural, it may be necessary to say, for example, “I am your servant; do not put me on trial.”

Verse 2b, as translated in the Septuagint, may be alluded to in Romans 3.20; Galatians 2.16.

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 .