The final two verses bring God’s indictment of the wicked to a close, with a warning to them to listen to him or he will destroy them. Mark this, “Pay attention to this,” “Notice this.”

To forget God is to disregard him, ignore his commands (see comments on 9.17).

The verb translated rend is “to tear to pieces” like a lion; see its use with “lion” in 7.2; 17.12.

For deliver (Good News Translation “save”) see the use of the same verb in 7.1, and the same verb translated “rescue” in 7.2.

What God wants from his worshipers is a thankful heart (verse 23a; see verse 14a). In many languages it will be necessary to reorder the wording in Good News Translation “Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors me.” This may often be done by saying, for example, “When you give thanks you are giving the sacrifice that honors me” or “By thanking me you give me the sacrifice that honors me.”

The phrase orders his way aright, while unusual, is readily understood as a metaphor for conduct, behavior; so New Jerusalem Bible “the upright,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “who continues (walking) in my way,” Bible en français courant “the one who keeps watch over his behavior.”

The final I will show the salvation of God, it must be remembered, has God as speaker, and he refers to himself in the third person. The noun phrase the salvation of God means “God saves people”; and I will show means not merely to display or to present, but actually to put into effect. So Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “I save,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “and whoever obeys me will experience my help.”

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 .