The tyrant’s destruction will bring fear and joy to God’s people (The righteous), who will make fun of the man. Here shall … fear has less the idea of being afraid and more that of being “awestruck” (New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), or being “deeply impressed” (see Bible en français courant).

Good News Translation retains the second person of address of verse 5 when it renders “laugh at you” instead of switching to third person, as Revised Standard Version does.

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation retain the Hebrew expression laugh at. The meaning of laugh at must be considered in relation to see, and fear in the previous line. These persons begin by being “awestruck,” which implies tense speechlessness, and then end up laughing. Here laugh at does not have the sense of ridicule or making fun of someone, but rather they laugh in amusement at the irony of what happens to a person who does not depend upon God. If laugh at means only “to scorn or make fun of,” it will be better to use another expression; for example, in some languages it is possible to say “they nod their heads to say yes and say….”

In verse 7 the man translates the word geber, which means a man in his full strength; the word is akin to gibbor of verse 1, and some see here a derisive allusion and translate “the great man,” “the brave man” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The expression who would not make God his refuge may in some languages be rendered “who would not let God protect him” or “who would not ask God to defend him.”

At the end of verse 7 Good News Translation “in being wicked” is a possible translation of the Masoretic text; the Hebrew word elsewhere means “destruction” (see Revised Standard Version footnote; see verse 2 “to ruin”; also in this sense in 5.9; 38.12; 57.1). In some passages an identical Hebrew word means “desire, lust” (Pro 10.3; 11.6; Micah 7.3), and Anderson takes that to be the meaning here. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that the word means “the riches acquired to the damage of others,” that is, “plunder,” and in verse 2 the same word means “destructive plans,” “plots.” There is a great variety in the translations: King James Version, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “wickedness”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible “crime”; New American Bible “harmful plots”; New Jerusalem Bible “mischief”; Weiser “and boasted of his malice.” Dahood has “his perniciousness.” All of these seem probable; less likely is New English Bible‘s “wild lies.” Revised Standard Version, Bible en français courant, Zürcher Bibel prefer to follow Syriac and Targum “in his wealth” instead of the Masoretic text “in his wickedness.”

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 .