The psalmist prays for the punishment of his enemies. The opening petition Slay them not reads strangely, and Dahood supposes that, instead of the Masoretic text ʾal “not,” the consonants should be given the vowels for ʾel “O God,” that is, “O God, slay them” (so New American Bible). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy follows an emended text, “do not have compassion on them” (see Briggs, Weiser). New English Bible translates the Masoretic text as a rhetorical question, “Wilt thou not kill them…?” But Oesterley and others defend the Masoretic text (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, An American Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Taylor explains that they are not to be killed at once but are to be defeated and “left to linger on in weakness” (similarly Kirkpatrick and Anderson). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch‘s translation is good, “Do not annihilate them with one blow.” But it may be better to emend, as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has done, or else follow the example of New American Bible.

Slay them not may suggest in some languages that these defeated enemies are to be allowed to linger and die slowly as a form of torture. If that sense is not to be taken, it will often be necessary to make line b a clear alternative to line a by saying, for example, “but rather scatter them….”

Lest my people forget does not say what they are to remember. Perhaps it is the warning as a result of the punishment. In that case one may translate “or my people may forget how you punish your enemies.” Bible en français courant says “for fear that my people should forget your victory.”

Make them totter in line b translates a verb that means either “to make homeless” (so New Jerusalem Bible “make wanderers of them” and New International Version “make them wander about”) or “to cause to stagger.”

By thy power translates a word that could be understood as “your army (of angels)”; so Briggs, Weiser, Kirkpatrick. By thy power in some languages must be translated through the use of other kinds of expressions and constructions; for example, “use your power to scatter and destroy them” or “because you are powerful….”

Bring them down translates the causative form of the verb “come down.”

For shield in line c as a figure for protection, see 3.3. If the translator follows Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version in this verse, in some languages it will be necessary to mention the thing which is not to be forgotten. In the context it would seem to be God’s victory over the psalmist’s enemies.

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 .