The psalmist describes his condition in vivid terms, which are not necessarily descriptive of physical ailments, but rather of his utter distress and misery (so Weiser). Some scholars, however, particularly in verse 15, see these as symptoms of fever or the like (see Kirkpatrick).

The figure poured out like water in line a seems to describe complete exhaustion, utter weakness. Good News Translation uses similes instead of metaphors, and expands line a into two lines in order to bring out more clearly the force of poured out. The expression poured out like water can have a variety of meanings in different languages. Good News Translation restructures the expression to make the meaning of “weakness” clear.

All my bones are out of joint: the psalmist says his bones are separating from one another; it is as though the process of total decay were already far advanced.

The figure my heart is like wax … melted means the psalmist has lost all courage and hope (see a similar figure in Josh 7.5). Lines 14c-d of Revised Standard Version have been reduced to one line in Good News Translation, omitting within my breast (Hebrew “bowels”) as being redundant. The term used in many translations for wax refers specifically to beeswax. Any substance which is readily melted and known for that characteristic will serve.

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 .