The Hebrew text has two different verbs for “to judge” in lines a and b. The first one is less used than the second one, which is related to the noun “judgment” in verse 6.

In line a Good News Translation translates The LORD by “You” and thus continues the form of address begun in 7.6. Judge, whether verb or noun, is not be to understood in the sense of condemning but in the sense of deciding the guilt or innocence of the one being judged. Most languages have terms for neutral or impartial judging, and some are used idiomatically; for example, “you are the one who cuts the affairs of people.” Where no expression for judging is ready at hand, it is sometimes possible to say “you are the one who decides if people are right or wrong.”

On the basis of his own righteousness and integrity, the psalmist appeals to God to judge in his favor, to acquit him of the charge brought against him (New Jerusalem Bible “vindicate me”). The first noun (line b) is the one translated “right” in 4.1; the second one (line c) means “perfection, faultlessness, integrity.” Good News Translation has combined the two and rendered the clause as a claim which the LORD readily acknowledges: “you know that I am innocent.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “judge me according to my honor; judge me according to my innocence.”

According to my righteousness may sometimes be rendered as a clause of cause, “because I am right,” and according to the integrity that is in me as “because I am without fault.” Accordingly lines b and c would be “judge me as innocent because I am right and because I am without fault” or “decide my case in my favor because I am right and I have done no wrong.”

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 .