The psalmist resists the temptation to argue as the wicked do, who say that God has no knowledge of or interest in human affairs (verse 11). Had he so spoken or thought, he would have been guilty of betraying God’s people (literally “I would have betrayed the generation of your sons”). The first line of verse 11 can use a direct quote, as Traduction œcuménique de la Bible does: “If I had said, ‘I will reason as they do,’…”; and line b can be translated “I would have not been true to your people” or “I would have been unfaithful to your people.” This expresses his conviction that, if he had indulged in such a blasphemous statement, he would have been a traitor to his people, which indicates that he would be sinning not only against God but against his people as well. The phrase “your sons” is translated “your disciples” by New Jerusalem Bible; Bible en français courant “your sons, my companions.” New English Bible is quite good, “the family of God.” It seems better to say “your people” or “the people of God” than to use the word “children” or “sons,” which may be misunderstood. Since verse 15 refers to the content of verse 11, readers in some languages may find the referent already too far removed. Something of verse 11 must therefore be reintroduced to build in a bit of redundancy; for example, “If I had said that God can’t know things…,” or as in direct address, “If I had said, ‘God, you have no knowledge of things….’ ” “The people of God” must often be rendered, not as a possessive, but as a verb phrase; for example, “The people who worship you.”

The psalmist remained true to Israel’s belief in the rule of God in human affairs and tried to think the matter through, even though it seemed to him to be a wearisome task (New Jerusalem Bible “a hopeless task”). He went into the Temple (the sanctuary of God verse 17a), and there he was given an insight into the fate that awaits the wicked (literally their end).

How this insight came to him is not said; the language suggests a special revelation from God, either in a vision or through the inspired word of a priest. Perhaps some ritual was involved.

“Your Temple” translates the Hebrew plural “the holy places of God,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests “may designate the one sanctuary in all its manifold parts.” Most take this to refer to the Jerusalem Temple; New Jerusalem Bible translates “the sanctuaries of the gods,” which in footnote is explained as the ruins of pagan sanctuaries; Dahood and New American Bible take it to refer to heaven, to which the psalmist was transported in spirit, in a vision or a trance. It seems best to take it to mean the Temple in Jerusalem.

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation indicate the temporal clause as until I went into, which marks the resolution of the psalmist’s failure to understand. In some languages it may be necessary to begin a new sentence in 17a and to render this phrase as a means; for example, “Only by going into your Temple did I understand…” or “The only way I understood was by going into your Temple.”

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 11a Make your vows … and perform them is taken to mean “Fulfill now the vows you made when you were in danger” (see the similar command in 50.14b). The psalmist is speaking to the people of Israel, assembled for worship in the Temple.

In verse 11b Good News Translation translates all around him as “all you nearby nations,” because this seems to be a reference to foreign nations, in contrast with Israel in line a. But it may be that both lines refer to the people of Israel. The Good News Translation interpretation seems to be the better one.

Good News Translation “God makes me fear him” in line c translates what is literally “(to) the fear,” which is taken to indicate God as the one who causes humankind to fear him; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “to him who is worthy of fear” (which is like Revised Standard Version). Bible de Jérusalem translates as a title of God, “the Terrible”; Weiser “to the terrible God”; New Jerusalem Bible and New Jerusalem Bible, more appropriately, “the Awesome One”; Hebrew Old Testament Text Project “the dreadful one.” It is recommended that the translator follow either Revised Standard Version or New Jerusalem Bible.

In verse 12 Good News Translation “he humbles” translates he cuts off the spirit (or, breath). The verb “cut off” is used of gathering grapes at harvest; but K-B conjectures another verb, spelled the same way, meaning “to humble,” which appears only here in the Old Testament. The word ruach may mean “spirit” in terms of “life,” so that the statement may mean “he kills” (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; presumably this is what Revised Standard Version means). Or it may mean “spirit” in terms of “pride, courage,” so that the meaning is “he humbles” (Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New American Bible, Weiser); Bible en français courant has “he deflates the pride of princes.” It seems better to take it in the latter sense, since this is more closely parallel to the next line “and terrifies great kings” (see similar expressions in 48.4-6). The term princes refers to “rulers” and not simply to the sons of kings, and will therefore be translated as “rulers” or “chiefs” in some languages. Revised Standard Version terrible is a translation of noraʾ (see verse 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 .

More of Israel’s calamities are cited as examples of God’s anger with his people. Verse 59 begins When God heard; Good News Translation substitutes “saw” as being less difficult for the reader (also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The main idea, in any case, is God’s awareness of what the Israelites were doing. New Jerusalem Bible has “God listened and…,” and Bible en français courant “When he became aware of this….”

The Hebrew full of wrath in verse 59a is the verb used in verses 21a, 62b. For comments on rejected see 15.4 (“despised”) and 53.5.

Shiloh was a city in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim, some 32 kilometers north of Jerusalem, where the Covenant Box was kept in the early days of Israel’s history (see Josh 18.1; 1 Sam 1.3). Verse 60b Good News Translation has “where he had lived among us”: the Hebrew word translated “us” is generic, ʾadam, “humankind, humanity,” but the reference is specifically to Israel, not to the human race as a whole (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). However, a translator may prefer to retain the idea of humankind and translate “the place where he had lived among human beings” or “the place where he had lived on earth.” New Jerusalem Bible avoids the problem by translating “the tent where he used to dwell on the earth.”

In verse 61 it is agreed that his power and his glory which God allowed to be taken captive refer to the Covenant Box, which the Philistines captured in battle (1 Sam 4.1-22). Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Bible en français courant name the Covenant Box; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says only “the symbol of his glory and power.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and New Jerusalem Bible have footnotes to indicate that the language refers to the Covenant Box. Glory here translates a word meaning “beauty, ornament” (see also comments at 71.8b). If the translator follows Good News Translation‘s “Covenant Box,” this expression may be rendered “the box that held God’s agreement with his people” or “the box containing the writing of the agreement between God and his people.”

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 seems to refer to his physical condition, which causes his friends to shun him (verse 8a-b); this may have been leprosy or some other loathsome disease (see Job 19.13-19; Psa 31.11). In verse 8b a thing of horror is variously translated: “loathsome” (New English Bible); “abhorrent” (New Jerusalem Bible); “unbearable” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy); “a disgusting thing” (Bible en français courant); “repulsive” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version). The statement in verse 8c I am shut in may be literal, perhaps meaning prison (New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or quarantine (New International Version “confined”; Revised Standard Version, An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible shut in); or it may be figurative, that is, he is hemmed in by his troubles and cannot escape (so Bible en français courant). Briggs and Dahood believe the psalmist is speaking of himself as a prisoner in Sheol. Toombs interprets the words as a figure of deprivation, restriction, the contrary to that of salvation, which is characterized by openness, space (see 18.19).

For verse 9a see similar language in 31.9b; 38.10b. It is more natural in English to refer to one’s “eyes” (Good News Translation) when both are meant, than to one’s eye (Revised Standard Version).

Despite the LORD’s fury and anger, the psalmist persists in praying to him for help (verse 9b-c); Every day (or “all day long,” that is, insistently, continually) he cries out to the LORD. For spread out my hands, see comments on “lift up my hands” in 28.2.

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 psalm opens with a statement of assurance of God’s protection, which he provides for all who avail themselves of it. The two lines of verse 1 are synonymous: dwells and abides; shelter and shadow; the Most High (see 7.17) and the Almighty (see 68.14). The verb in verse 1b translated abides means “spend the night” (see 55.7b). In verse 1b shadow is probably an allusion to “the wings” of Yahweh (see comments on 17.8b, and on verse 4, below). Shelter and shadow may be references to the Temple (Toombs). Translators in some languages may find it best to reduce both lines of this verse to one, as does Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, which says “He who lives under the protecting shadow of the Most High and Almighty.” In some languages “to be in the shadow” is more related to being hidden than protected. In such cases it will be better to follow the lead of Good News Translation. However, in some languages a more active construction will be required; for example, “Whoever the Almighty protects” or “Anyone whom God takes care of.” Good News Translation “goes to the LORD” is not good, and something like the following can be said:

• Whoever lives under the protection of the Most High,
whoever is kept safe by the Almighty….

In verse 2 Good News Translation uses the second person of direct address, “You are.” For refuge and fortress see comments on similar language in 14.6; 18.2. In verse 2 the Masoretic text has “I say”; Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others (following the Septuagint) mark the verb with other vowels to get the third person singular, “he will say.” It is possible to retain the first person, identifying the speaker as a worshiper. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible take the psalmist to be the speaker and translate “I (will) say of the LORD….” In many languages My refuge and my fortress, as well as Good News Translation‘s “my defender and protector,” will have to be recast as verb phrases; for example, “you are the one who defends me and protects me.” My God must often be rendered “you are the God I worship.” I trust is often rendered idiomatically; for example, “I hang my heart upon you” or “I place you in my liver.”

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 .

Yahweh’s greatness is acclaimed in verse 3; he is a great God, superior to all gods, whether real or imaginary (see 96.4-5). He is the Creator God who rules over all that he has made. The expression King above all gods or Good News Translation‘s “over all the gods,” if translated literally, in many languages will refer to space only. Therefore it will often be necessary to recast this expression to say, for example, “He is a great king who rules over all other gods,” or in some languages to make a comparison; for example, “He is a powerful king, but all other gods are weak.”

In verse 4a In his hand indicates not only possession but sovereignty. The depths of the earth and the heights of the mountains are picturesque phrases used to indicate the whole earth.

Instead of the Masoretic text “depths” in verse 4a (a word which occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament), one Hebrew manuscript and the Septuagint have “the far places,” which New English Bible prefers; but depths better parallels heights in the next line. Dahood takes the depths of the earth to mean Sheol. The “mountain heights” were thought of by many as the places where the gods dwelt (see 68.15-16), and the idea may be in the background of the language here.

In verse 5 Yahweh’s power over both The sea and the dry land (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “the continents”) is asserted, for he created both (see 24.1-2). The verb in verse 5b, formed, represents God as fashioning, molding, the dry land with his own hands (see the verb also in 94.9b).

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 describes his pitiable condition: he is ill and lonely, and is being attacked by enemies. His “life” (literally days) is vanishing like smoke (see 37.20; 68.2). The Masoretic text is “in smoke,” but many Hebrew manuscripts, the Septuagint, and Jerome have “like smoke.”3-4 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“C” decision) stays with the Masoretic text. In some languages it is not possible to speak of one’s life disappearing. Instead it is often necessary to say, for example, “I am dying, just like rising smoke disappears.” His whole body (literally bones) “is burning like fire,” which sounds like a high fever (if meant as a physical symptom). The word translated “fire” is an unusual one; it usually means “burning coals” (so Dahood “brazier”), or “hearth” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “oven” (New English Bible “burn up as in an oven”; New Jerusalem Bible “burning like an oven”; Revised Standard Version furnace).

In verse 4a the psalmist compares himself to grass (or weeds) that has dried up and is beaten down; Hebrew has My heart (so Revised Standard Version), which is taken by most to represent the whole person (see New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). It is hard to understand how the psalmist could have spoken of the bodily organ, his heart, as being like dried grass (see New American Bible). In a psychological sense the figure could be descriptive of his feeling of despair and loneliness. In languages which cannot employ the passive, it may be necessary to recast the verb phrase “beaten down” and say, for example, “I feel like I have become like dry grass” or “I am like dry grass that someone has beaten down.”

In verse 4b I forget to eat my bread means that his sickness has caused him to lose his appetite. Most translations are quite literal; Good News Translation and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy indicate loss of appetite as the reason the psalmist does not eat. The verbal form translated I forget is taken by some, on the basis of a Ugaritic parallel, to mean “be wasted, emaciated, weak”; so New Jerusalem Bible “too wasted to eat my food”; New English Bible “I cannot find the strength to eat.” The interpretation of Good News Translation seems preferable. Although the Hebrew term used is the regular word for bread, it is also used generically for “food.” In the present context, if the translator uses the term for the most commonly eaten food (equivalent to bread), the translation will have more emotive impact on the intended readers.

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 .