Yahweh regrets his people’s disobedience, but he allows them to reap the fruit of their own stubbornness (verses 11-12). Here God does not directly address the people, as he does in verses 6-10; he seems to be speaking to himself. It would be very odd if the psalmist thought of God speaking to someone else, someone not identified. If this constitutes a problem for the readers, the best thing to do is to change to the second person of direct address; for example, “So you, God, let them go their stubborn ways…,” or omit “you” and say, for example, “So God let them go their stubborn ways….”

In verse 11b the Hebrew is “Israel did not want me,” that is, would have nothing to do with me, which Good News Translation represents by “would not obey me,” parallel with “would not listen to me” in line a.

Stubborn hearts in this context is rendered idiomatically in many languages as “I let them follow their blindness,” “… their hard hearts,” or “… their closed ears.”

Follow their own counsels: instead of coming to the LORD for advice and guidance, they guide themselves and ignore God.

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 .

Verse 16a is similar to 25.16a. In this verse the psalmist refers to himself as thy servant (as in verses 2, 4) and the son of thy handmaid (as in 116.16). Revised Standard Version handmaid is an archaic term for “maidservant” or “servant girl.” The second phrase may be nothing more than the equivalent of the first; so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy shortens and combines the two into one, “this servant of yours” (see Anderson, McCullough). Others take the expression to mean that, just as the child of a slave was a slave for life (see Exo 21.4), so the psalmist considered himself to be a permanent slave of God. So Bible en français courant “I am your servant … I belong to you.” Good News Translation has taken the expression to be a reference to the devoutness of the psalmist’s mother as an additional reason for God to save him; no other translation consulted, however, gives this meaning.

The psalmist asks for a clear indication, a proof, of God’s goodness, of God’s approval (a sign of thy favor), either some favorable sign or else the deliverance itself from his difficulties. Such a demonstration of the LORD’s goodness would put to shame the psalmist’s enemies, for they would see that by his intervention God had proven the psalmist’s claims to be true. And the psalmist himself would have received God’s comfort and help. In some languages the expression Show me a sign or “proof” must be rendered as “do something so that I will know…,” or specifically, “help me so that…” or “save me so that….” For comforted see comments on 23.4; 71.21.

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 .

The opening statement reflects confidence which is based on the knowledge of God’s eternal nature. Always he has been the dwelling place of his people. Instead of the Masoretic text dwelling place, some Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint have “refuge” (so New English Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). It may well be that the word in the Masoretic text has here the meaning “place of safety”; Bible en français courant has “our place of security.”1-2 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives both alternatives, without expressing a preference. Lord translates the title, not the personal name Yahweh. The Hebrew “for generation and generation” in verse 1b means “for all time, forever.” In some languages it will not be natural to speak of the Lord being a place, and the noun phrase must therefore be recast as a clause and in some cases as a simile; for example, “Lord, you have always protected us” or “Lord, you have always been like a home to us.”

In verse 2 the Hebrew text is literally “before the hills were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world.” The language is poetic, portraying God as giving birth. The second verb means “to have labor pains” (see also comments on “whirl” in 29.9). The birth imagery functions poetically here to hint at the birth of humankind, which suggests the limitations of time that are imposed on humans in contrast with God, who is eternal. New International Version approximates the female imagery: “were born … you brought forth”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “were born … you gave birth to”; and New Jerusalem Bible “were born … came to birth.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible provides a good model to follow.

It is not certain what difference, if any, is intended between the two words earth and world; it seems that the two are quite synonymous here (see 19.4; 24.1; 33.8; 77.18b-c, where they are parallel). Perhaps something like “the earth and (the rest of) the universe” can be said. In English the earth and the world is repetitious and redundant, as will be the case in most languages. Bible en français courant has only “the world,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the earth.”

The Hebrew phrase translated from everlasting to everlasting in verse 2c expresses all time, past and future (see the same idea in 102.27). The emphasis in the Hebrew “you (are) God” is better brought out by “you are the one who is God” (see Bible en français courant). If the translator follows the restructuring of Good News Translation in this verse, it may be necessary to place “you were eternally God” at the opening and “will be God forever” at the conclusion. For example, “You always were God” or “You always were the God we worship, even before you created the hills and the world, and you will always be the God we worship.”

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 .

In verse 10a the two verbs are practically synonymous; both mean “to discipline, admonish, rebuke, reprove” and occur in parallel lines in 6.1a-b; 38.1a-b (see also 39.11). The argument is as follows: the people whom the psalmist is accusing admit that Yahweh rebukes the pagan nations (the Hebrew term used in 2.1); will he not surely punish others as well, including the Israelite leaders themselves? So Good News Translation “punish them” (also An American Translation, New English Bible) is inadequate, since “them” here may be taken to refer to “the nations” in the same line, when it should refer to the wicked Israelite leaders (see Good News Translation footnote). In the context it may be better to translate “He rebukes the nations–won’t he punish our wicked leaders?” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “He who disciplines all people, should he not also surely be able to punish you?”

The next line (verse 10b) is in Hebrew simply “he who teaches people knowledge.” An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible connect it with the preceding line as a further description of God (“He who instructs man in knowledge”); Revised Standard Version, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible connect it with the following line. But others, like Good News Translation, assume that there is an ellipsis of “hasn’t he any knowledge?” (parallel with verses 9a-b, 10a) and so translate the line as a complete rhetorical question (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New English Bible, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Dahood). Translators may wish to do the same.

The thought of verse 11 finds a parallel in 39.5c; here the psalmist is talking about human thoughts, human reasoning. Most translations take they are but a breath (hebel; see 78.33) to refer to thoughts, despite the fact that in Hebrew “thoughts” is feminine and the pronoun “they” is masculine. But the context seems to require that it is human reasoning which God considers to be “vapid” (Dahood), “futile” (New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version); it is not likely that here the focus is on human mortality. If the translator interprets line b to refer to human thoughts, in some languages a simile can be used to denote their insubstantial existence; for example, “he knows their thoughts are like smoke that vanishes” or “… like clouds that pass by.”

Verse 11 is quoted in 1 Corinthians 3.20 as it appears in the Septuagint, except that instead of “people” in the psalm, the word “the wise (people)” is used by Paul.

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 .

All people of the world are called upon to worship and praise Yahweh with songs. In verse 1a Make a joyful noise translates a verb which means “to shout” (see its use in 47.1b; 98.4a), and so it may be preferable to translate “Sing loudly.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “Raise a shout.” All the lands, or Good News Translation‘s “all the world,” must often be rendered by “everyone” or “all the people of the world.” In this psalm only one subject actor, all the lands, is expressed, but it is implied with each of the commands found in verses 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 4c. In some languages it will be necessary to repeat the ones to whom the commands are addressed.

In verse 2a Good News Translation “Worship” translates a verb which in most contexts means “to serve” (Revised Standard Version); here, however, in connection with the Temple worship (parallel with Come into his presence in line b), it is clear that the “service” is that of worship (so New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, New International Version, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The phrase his presence refers specifically to the Temple, where Yahweh was present with his people. It will be noted that Good News Translation has “come before him” in verse 2b and “go into” in verse 4b. In many languages it will be necessary to maintain a consistent speaker point of view.

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 .

Time is also part of Yahweh’s creation and is a provision for the needs of all living beings. The moon marked the time of the festivals (see Gen 1.14); the Hebrew word for seasons in verse 19a does not mean precisely what we call the four seasons of the year. The Hebrews followed a lunar calendar, the beginning of each month being determined by the new moon; so Good News Translation translates “months”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “the festivals”; Bible en français courant “the dates”; New English Bible “to measure the year”; and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “to measure time.” The Hebrew of verse 19a is “He made” (see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem); many translations (see Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) have “You made,” without a textual note. New American Bible, however, reads the participle “making” (only a change of vowels in the Hebrew text) and provides a note. New International Version, quite alone, has “the moon” as the subject: “The moon marks off the seasons.” Verse 19b refers to the day, which began at sunset. If the translator follows Good News Translation, it may be necessary in some languages to say, for example, “You created the moon to show when each month begins.” In some languages the personification of the sun in the sun knows … may have to be recast to say, for example, “the sun sets when it should” or “the sun sets at the right time.”

Darkness and night (verse 20) were thought of as having real existence, and not simply as the absence of light. They also are part of God’s beneficent creation, a time when the wild animals leave their dens and roam about. Verse 21 speaks specifically of the young lions as they hunt, seeking their food from God, that is, “the food that God provides” for them. All of the natural order depends on God’s sustenance, care, and provision.

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 .

In verse 37b the word translated “idols” by Good News Translation is found only here and in Deuteronomy 32.17; it is taken by most to mean demons (so the Septuagint). The reference is still to the pagan deities, whom the psalmist calls demons (as in Deut 32.17). Bible en français courant “false gods” is better than “idols”; New English Bible “foreign demons” is not very satisfactory. Briggs defines the word as meaning the ancient gods of the Canaanites.

Verse 38 is long and wordy in Hebrew (see Revised Standard Version); Good News Translation has expressed the meaning more concisely. Because the Israelites had offered their innocent children as sacrifices, both the land (verse 38b) and they themselves (verse 39a) were made polluted and unclean, that is, unfit to worship Yahweh, to have fellowship with him.

If a translator wishes to reproduce the rather repetitious character of the Hebrew text in verses 37-38, the following may serve as a model:

• 37 They offered their own sons and daughters
as sacrifices to those false gods.
38 They killed those innocent children–
their own sons and daughters–
and offered them as sacrifices
to the idols of the Canaanites;
these killings made the land impure.

Idolatry is compared here, as often elsewhere in the Old Testament, to marital infidelity; Israel was Yahweh’s “wife,” and when she worshiped foreign gods she was being unfaithful to him. Revised Standard Version‘s quaint played the harlot is from King James Version; see New Jerusalem Bible‘s more vigorous “their behavior was that of a harlot.”

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 .

The psalmist is near death; he compares himself to a shadow at evening (see 102.11 and comments); the Hebrew is “like a lengthening shadow,” a way of referring to the end of the day, when the shadows grow longer. In verse 23b the psalmist compares himself to a locust (see 78.46) that is “blown away” by the wind. But the verb translated “blown away” (Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) may be taken to mean shaken off (Revised Standard Version), in which case the figure is that of locusts being shaken off the plants (see New American Bible footnote) or off a garment (Cohen, McCullough, Bible en français courant footnote). The Hebrew verb in other places means “shake” (Neh 5.13; Job 38.13; Isa 33.9; Psa 136.15 “overthrew”), and that is probably the meaning intended here (Revised Standard Version; also New English Bible, Bible en français courant, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version). “I am blown away like an insect” may have to be shifted to an active construction; for example, “I am like a locust which the wind blows away,” or if the locust is unknown and the verb is interpreted as shaken off, the translator may prefer to say “I am like an insect that a farmer shakes off a plant.”

The psalmist speaks of his feeble condition (verse 24). The “lack of food” here may be a reference to the loss of appetite (see 107.18); some think this is voluntary fasting, which the psalmist underwent as he awaited his trial (see Dahood, Anderson). Most translations, like Revised Standard Version, have fasting. In verse 24b the text can be understood in two different ways, depending on whether the final Hebrew phrase mishshamen means “from fatness” or “from olive oil.” In the former case the line means “my body is lean from lack of fat” (that is, either the body fat as such or nourishing food); in the latter case, “my body is lean from lack of olive oil.” A mourner refrained from rubbing olive oil on the body (see 2 Sam 14.2). The former is favored by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant; the latter by Briggs, Kirkpatrick, An American Translation, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible. Good News Translation has chosen to express the meaning quite idiomatically (as in 102.5b).

For expressions similar to that in verse 25a, see 22.6; 31.11; 89.41. At the end of the line the Hebrew text has “to them,” which Revised Standard Version takes to mean to my accusers; Good News Translation takes it to mean people in general. For language similar to verse 25b, see 22.7.

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 .