Translation commentary on Psalm 32:7

In line a hiding place means a place where the psalmist can hide from his enemies.

The last line of verse 7 is difficult; the Hebrew is “(with) shouts of deliverance you surround me.” Again, without explaining what the language means, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says there are two interpretations (“C” decision): (1) “you encompass me with shouts [exhorting me with regard to my] salvation”; (2) “you encompass me with shouts of salvation.” Good News Translation has taken the “shouts” to be the psalmist’s praise to Yahweh for having protected him (deliverance). Revised Standard Version and New English Bible omit “shouts” from the text. New Jerusalem Bible translates “You surround me with joyous shouts of deliverance,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “you surround me with shouts of victory,” which presumably means that because of the LORD’s protection the psalmist’s fellow worshipers around him are shouting praises to the LORD; so one may say explicitly “You surround me with the shouts of those who rejoice in my deliverance”–which may be the best way to handle an admittedly obscure text. Bible en français courant has “I will shout with joy for the protection with which you surround me.” Bible de Jérusalem and New Jerusalem Bible translate the Masoretic text quite literally; in a footnote they take “shouts” to be an accidental repetition (dittography) of the preceding three consonants in the Hebrew text. This conjecture may be true but is not a sufficient reason to depart from the Masoretic text.

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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