If integrated into the book of Daniel: 3.79

Whales: Moore translates “sea monsters” and New American Bible “dolphins.” All are acceptable. The Greek word here refers to any kind of large sea creature. Obviously the people in ancient times made no distinction between sea mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises) and huge fish.

All creatures that move in the waters: All is omitted by Good News Translation, but is present in the Greek. Good News Translation “sea creatures” condenses the rest of the Greek phrase. New English Bible speaks of “all that swim in the waters,” which is natural enough since moving in water is swimming. “Creatures that live [or, make their home] in the water” would be saying the same thing.

In a culture that is far from the ocean and where the language lacks specific terms for sea creatures, we may follow Contemporary English Version with “every sea creature, whether large or small.”

Notice that this psalm, although echoing Psa 148, is arranging the creatures in the order used in Gen 1: sea creatures, birds, animals, humans.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.