Translation commentary on Psalm 22:4 - 22:5

By using the verb “to trust” three times, the psalmist emphasizes the close relationship in the past between the ancient Israelites’ trust in Yahweh and Yahweh’s actions on their behalf. For trusted see comment at 13.5; for deliver see comment at 17.13. Trusted must often be translated by an idiomatic expression such as “they put their hearts on” or “they have a thick heart with him.”

Were saved must often be shifted to an active construction; for example, “you saved them.” Good News Translation‘s “escaped from danger” may give the wrong impression that by running away they saved themselves from harm; the meaning is that Yahweh saved them.

Were not disappointed: see the same verb (“be put to shame”) in 6.10. The meaning is that God kept his promises and saved them. In some languages this will be rendered idiomatically; for example, “their hearts did not heat with shame,” or nonfiguratively, “God did what he said” or “God saved them as he said he would.”

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 .

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