In verse 11 (whose vocabulary is similar to that of 102.20) the people pray for prisoners and for those doomed to die. This probably refers quite explicitly to prisoners of war; it could, in more general terms, refer to Israelites in exile, doomed to die in a foreign country. In many languages it will be necessary to shift from the passive “condemned to die” and say, for example, “those of our people whom the enemy has decided to kill.”

Into the bosom in verse 12a means directly, individually, personally. Folds in the garment made it possible to carry precious things as well as money in the bosom. The idea of repayment is also present; so Good News Translation “pay … back.” New English Bible has “on their own heads.” New International Version “into the laps of our neighbors” is not a natural idiom in English. Our neighbors are the surrounding nations. The people pray for complete and full punishment of the enemy: may they suffer seven times as much as they have made the Israelites suffer. “Pay … back seven times” need not be rendered literally as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The expression “seven times” suggests “again and again” or “many times.” For parallel usages see Job 5.19; Proverbs 24.16; 26.25.

The psalm closes (verse 13) with a promise of eternal praise and thanksgiving to God for answering his people’s prayer. For the flock of thy pasture, see comments on the similar phrase in 74.1. In some languages it will be necessary to introduce a simile; for example, “… your people, who are like the sheep of your pasture.” In the last line, from generation to generation is simply a Hebrew way of saying “for all time” (New Jerusalem Bible), “throughout all centuries” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), “from age to age” (New Jerusalem Bible). Recount thy praise is an elaborate way of saying “repeatedly praise you,” “keep on praising you.” New Jerusalem Bible makes the two lines closely parallel: “shall glorify You forever, for all time we shall tell Your praises.”

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 .