It is not certain whether the invitation to the Israelites to walk around Jerusalem and observe its defenses is meant literally or whether it refers to a ritual procession in the Temple in which this action was represented. The “People of God” (which Good News Translation has supplied, in order to make explicit to whom the invitation is extended) are called upon to inspect the towers, ramparts, and citadels of Jerusalem–which was very strongly protected and almost impregnable. The expression towers can sometimes be rendered as “the highest parts,” and ramparts as “strong walls.” Citadels in some languages can be rendered “the strong house that protects people” or “the place people go for protection.”

In verse 13b the verb translated go through (Good News Translation “examine”) occurs only here in the Old Testament, and there is some doubt as to its exact meaning; in the context, however, parallel with the verbs number (verse 12b) and consider well (verse 13a), something like inspect or consider is meant (so Bible en français courant).

The inspection of Jerusalem’s defenses will serve as the basis for passing on to the next generation the story about God’s faithful care of his people.

Verse 14 in Hebrew is indirect discourse (Revised Standard Version that this is); Good News Translation has used direct discourse, with quotation marks. Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation could be understood to mean that the city is God, taking this to refer to the description of the city and its defenses. So it is better to follow Good News Translation here.

At the end of verse 14, for ever (Good News Translation “for all time to come”) translates a Masoretic text phrase of uncertain meaning: ʿal-mut. The consonants can be pointed ʿolamot “forever” (so the Septuagint, New English Bible) or ʿal-mawet, which may mean “until death” (An American Translation), or “against death,” or “beyond death” (Weiser). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible refuses to translate the phrase, considering the text unintelligible. New Jerusalem Bible does not have it in the text; in a footnote it gives “to death,” which should go with the following psalm. Some take the Masoretic text as a musical direction (see title of Psa 46), “according to Alamoth,” which should go with the next psalm. This was the decision of the majority of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project; the minority took the Hebrew to mean “eternity,” which is to be placed at the end of this psalm.

Most translations (see Dahood) understand the Hebrew as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done, and this seems to be the least unsatisfactory way of handling it.

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 .