For: it is better, with Revised Standard Version, to indicate that verse 4 gives the ground, or reason, for the psalmist’s affirmation in verse 3.

Thou hast maintained my just cause translates “you accomplished my right and my cause”; for “my right” see comments on “judgment” in 7.6; the word for cause is a legal term, meaning a claim in court, a legal case. The line may be rendered “you upheld my right and my cause” (New American Bible, New International Version) or “you have given fair judgement in my favour” (New Jerusalem Bible). Bible en français courant is better: “You have done the right thing for me, you have given me justice.” In some languages it is necessary to recast the process of judging in terms of two events in which the second is a consequence of the first; for example, “you have judged me and found me innocent” or “you have judged my case and found that I was right.”

For greater ease of understanding, Good News Translation has reversed the two lines. The psalmist sees the LORD as an “honest” (or, “righteous”) judge, or, as Revised Standard Version has it, righteous judgment. For righteous see comments on “right” in 4.1; for judgment see comments on “to judge” in 7.8. Yahweh sits on the throne to judge, as both ruler and judge of all humanity.

Good News Translation gives first the general statement and then the specific application. Revised Standard Version, following the Hebrew order, gives the specific event before the general statement. In all such cases the translator must determine for his or her language which order is more natural. In some languages the logical relation of reason to result may be clearer; for example, “because you are fair and honest in your judging, you have judged in my favor.”

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 .