Revised Standard Version represents the form of the Hebrew text, in which the psalmist converses with himself (his nefesh). The two questions may be rhetorical, a way in which the psalmist rebukes himself for his sadness and discouragement (cast down and disquieted). So the translation can be “I shouldn’t be so upset, I shouldn’t be sad like this.” Many languages will find the two questions awkward or unintelligible because they appear to be addressed to no one, and instead of a reply being given, Good News Translation follows them with a statement. Therefore, to avoid possible misunderstanding, it will sometimes be necessary to say, for example, “I ask myself why I am so sad, why I am so troubled?” Or these may be said in direct discourse, “I ask myself ‘Why am I so sad?’ ” or “I ask myself ‘Why am I so troubled?’ ” In some languages it will be possible to say, very similarly to Hebrew, “I ask my heart, ‘Why are you so sad?’ ” In languages where the question forms in this context are not natural, it is possible to recast them as positive statements; for example, “I am so very sad,” “I am so very troubled.”
The imperative (addressed to his “soul”) Hope in God is represented by a strong vow in Good News Translation, “I will put my hope in God.” Bible en français courant translates “What good does it do for me to be sad, what good does it do for me to complain of my lot? It is better to hope in God….”
The last line in Good News Translation, “my savior and my God,” follows the text found in some Hebrew manuscripts (and in the Masoretic text of verse 11 and in 43.5) and is favored by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“C” decision). The Masoretic text here is literally “the acts of salvation of his (God’s) face, my God,” with “my God” at the end of the line but as the beginning of verse 7, not the end of verse 6 (see Revised Standard Version verse division). The Hebrew plural “acts of salvation” is taken as “salvation, deliverance,” and “my face” is preferred to “his face.” It also seems better, with Good News Translation, to put the number 6 of the verse at the beginning of the next line.
My help and my God will in some languages be understood as two separate objects of praise. To avoid this possible confusion one may sometimes translate “my God, who is the one who helps me” or “my God, who has saved me.”
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 .