Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord?: this is a rhetorical way of saying “Everyone will fear and glorify your name,” and in some languages it may be better to use the positive statement instead of the negative rhetorical question. For fear … thy name see 11.18; for glorify thy name see 11.13; 14.7. Good News Translation divides the one question into two, and some translators may wish to do the same. The following is an alternative translation model for the first part of this verse: “Everyone will have reverence for you, O Lord! All people will confess, ‘You are very great and powerful.’ ”
Thou alone art holy: the Greek word translated holy (which appears also in 16.5) is different from the one used in 3.7, but the meaning is the same. It is what characterizes the essence of God as God, that is, God’s divinity, his separateness from humanity. Beckwith defines it: “his unapproachable majesty and power.” Certain translators will find it helpful to render this as “You alone are truly God!”
All nations shall come and worship thee: this may be rendered “People from all nations,” “All the people in the world.” As for the verb come, the translator must be aware of the point of reference and decide whether “go” or “come” is more appropriate. Since those who sing this song are in heaven, “come” seems appropriate. For worship see 4.10.
Thy judgments have been revealed: the Greek word translated judgments appears here and in 19.8, and means either “righteous (or, just) decrees” (so Revised English Bible) or “righteous (or, just) actions” (Good News Translation, Translator’s New Testament, Bible en français courant, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised). The latter seems more appropriate in this context. The word parallels “deeds” at the beginning of the song, in verse 3. God’s righteousness, God’s justice, is shown by what he does. The passive have been revealed may be rendered “have been seen by all” or “everyone has seen your righteous acts.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .