In these verses the psalmist speaks of Yahweh’s control over nations at war, affirming that victory in battle is not won because of the size or the strength of armies and the might of war horses; it is God who gives the victory. This is not only a statement of fact; it is a warning to kings and nations (particularly to Israel, Yahweh’s people) not to depend on the number and strength of their armies and their war horses, but to depend on God.

In some languages the two lines of verse 16 will have to be recast slightly, otherwise there is likelihood that the reader will understand that the king’s powerful army is what causes him to lose, and the warrior’s strength likewise causes him to fail. The translation should not mean that they are at the same time the cause of his defeat. Therefore one may sometimes say, for example, “Even if a king has a powerful army, that does not make him win the battle” or “Even if a soldier has great strength, that does not mean he will defeat his enemy.”

In verse 17a a vain hope translates a word meaning lie, falsehood, delusion (see 7.14); New Jerusalem Bible “a horse is a false hope for deliverance.” In line b it may be necessary to supply an object for the verb save, such as “the rider” (Bible en français courant) or “the soldier,” or else make the line parallel with the preceding victory: “their great strength cannot win the battle.”

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 .