Translation commentary on Psalm 135:1 - 135:2

For the opening Praise the LORD, see 104.35. Verses 1b-2 are similar to 134.1; here is added a parallel line for the Temple as the courts of the house of our God (verse 2b). As in 134.1 it is impossible to say whether the servants of the LORD, you that stand in the house of the LORD (verses 1b-2a) are the officiating priests and Levites or the worshipers as such. Good News Translation here has taken it in the more general sense (so Anderson). Good News Translation, which did not use “you servants” in 134.1, uses that form here, thus providing a better model for many translations. Our God refers to the God of the priests and the Temple worshipers, and will have to be rendered in an inclusive form in languages which must make that kind of distinction, for it includes the worshipers being addressed. One may have to avoid the possessive pronoun and say instead “the God we (inclusive) worship.”

It is much more common for the vocative (the persons addressed) to be placed immediately before or after the command, or in the following line. Here it is placed in the third line and expanded in both lines of verse 2. In languages which must place the vocative first, some adjustments will be required. For example, “You servants of the LORD, praise the LORD….” In the same way it may be necessary to repeat the command to praise the LORD in verse 2; for example, “You who serve (or, worship) in the LORD’s Temple, praise the LORD.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 139:13

In this strophe the psalmist meditates on the mystery of his creation by God (verses 13-16); in verses 17-18 he exclaims in wonder and awe at his inability to understand God’s ways.

In verse 13 the psalmist says Yahweh created him in his mother’s womb; my inward parts in line a translates what is literally “my kidneys” (see comments on the figurative use of the word translated “heart” in 7.9; 16.7; 26.2); most translate my inward parts or “my inmost self” (An American Translation “my vitals” is now quite old-fashioned). Only Bible de Jérusalem and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translate “my kidneys.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “my whole body.” New Jerusalem Bible has “my conscience,” and Bible en français courant “my personality,” both of which may introduce rather modern concepts into this ancient Hebrew document.

The Hebrew verb in line b is defined by BDB and Holladay as “weave, shape” (K-B says “block”). Most English translations, like Revised Standard Version, have knit me together; see similar language in Job 10.11. The sense of “protect” is preferred by Briggs (protecting the psalmist in his mother’s womb) and by Dahood (protecting the psalmist since birth). It is better to stay with the sense of “fashion” or “make.” In languages in which some inner part of the body is not in this context equated with the whole body, it will be better to say, for example, “you created me” or “you made my body.” “Womb” is translated in some languages by the more generic “abdomen” or “belly,” “womb” being used as a technical term.

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 144:5 - 144:8

These verses, in which the psalmist asks for Yahweh’s help, owe much to the figures used in 18.9-17. For verse 5a see 18.9a, where the same language is used. Here Good News Translation has followed two Hebrew manuscripts (and the Syriac and Targum) “the heavens,” and not the Masoretic text “your heavens” (see Revised Standard Version). For verse 5b see 104.32b.

For verse 6 see 18.14. It should be noticed that here Revised Standard Version them in both lines can only refer to the mountains of verse 5b. Of course the psalmist is talking about Yahweh’s “enemies.”

Verse 7a-b uses the language of 18.16; the verb translated here rescue has this sense only here and in verses 10, 11. It is classified here as an Aramaism; elsewhere in the Old Testament it means “to open (the mouth).” The many waters is here, as often, a figure of the distress and danger the psalmist is threatened with by his enemies, the aliens, that is, hostile forces from other countries. It should be noticed there are two synonymous verbs in verse 7b, rescue and deliver. Good News Translation has restructured the sentence, with one verb for each object. Hand of aliens and Good News Translation‘s “power of foreigners” may have to be recast in some languages to say, for example, “… from foreign tribes that attack me.”

The psalmist calls his enemies liars (verse 8a); whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood in line b means they “lie even under oath.” It was the custom on taking a vow to raise the right hand to heaven, a symbolic gesture calling on God to attest to the truth of the statement to be made (see 106.26). New International Version “whose right hands are deceitful” is less than natural. Good News Translation‘s “under oath,” which suggests a courtroom procedure, may have to be recast in some languages to say, for example, “who lie when they swear they are telling the truth.”

It should be noticed that verses 7c-8 (which appear also as verse 11b-d) are omitted by New English Bible as a later addition to the text; there is, however, no textual support for this omission.

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 149:4 - 149:5

In verses 4-9 the psalmist tells why the people of Israel should praise Yahweh: it is because he takes pleasure in his people (see 147.11) and he gives them victory (verse 4). In verse 4b the humble (see comments on “the afflicted” in 9.12) describes Yahweh’s people as those whose only source of help and strength is Yahweh himself, and not any human being; they are completely dependent on him for victory. Good News Translation does not link verse 4 to the preceding verse. However, the two need to be related, and in some languages it may be necessary to begin verse 4 by saying, for example, “Do this because the LORD delights in his people” or “… the LORD’s people make him happy.” The verb translated adorns occurs only here in Psalms; victory is seen as a garland, or crown, which is placed on the head of the victor. Adorns the humble with victory may be recast to say, for example, “he honors those who depend on him, by helping them defeat their enemies.”

In verse 5 the people of Israel are called, as often, the faithful (see “the godly” in 4.3); glory in line a has the specific sense of victory or triumph (New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). If the translator ends verse 4 as suggested above, Good News Translation‘s “in their triumph” may be handled by saying “Let God’s people rejoice because they have won the battle.” It is not certain what the Hebrew on their couches in verse 5b means. Some think it refers to the seats at the religious meals; others, that it refers to prayer mats (so New English Bible “as they kneel before him”; similarly New Jerusalem Bible); others take it to mean “even when they are sick in bed”; and still others believe it means “even when they are (supposed to be) asleep” (so Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant, Dahood, Cohen). Some emend the Hebrew on their couches to “according to their families” or to “in their tabernacle,” that is, the Temple (Briggs).

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 2:7

In this verse the king himself speaks. Good News Translation makes this explicit, and translators should make certain that the change of speakers is clear to the readers of the psalm. The king announces the decree of the LORD. The Hebrew noun translated decree means an authoritative statement, a pronouncement of some kind. Crim (Royal Psalms,* page 42) alludes to “the testimonies” in 2 Kings 11.12 and takes “the decree” here to refer “to the verbal evidence of divine sonship–most probably the oracle of the Davidic Covenant as recorded in 2 Samuel 7.” In this instance it is the declaration You are my son, today I have begotten you. This figurative language reflects the message from Yahweh which Nathan gave to David about David’s successor as king of Israel (2 Sam 7.14; see also Psa 89.26-27). It may be easier to say in translation “I have become your father” (Good News Translation) or “I become your father” (New English Bible); New Jerusalem Bible has “have I fathered you.” God adopts the king as his son and confers his own authority on him. The king of Israel is God’s representative, or deputy, on earth.

It is important in translation to make clear the change of speaker in 2.7. Decree of the LORD may be rendered in some languages as “the order spoken by the LORD,” “the words spoken by the LORD,” or “the words the LORD spoke.”

Today is the day the king was enthroned.

The words of this verse are applied to Jesus in the New Testament; see Mark 1.11; 9.7 and parallels; Acts 13.33; Hebrews 1.5; 5.5.

Care should be taken not to leave the reader thinking that the Hebrew psalmist was writing about Jesus Christ. In English, by the use of capital letters at the beginning of words and titles, it is possible to imply that Jesus Christ is being referred to. So the New International Version (New International Version) in verse 2 has “his Anointed One,” in verse 6 “my King,” in verse 7 “You are my Son,” and in verse 12 (see below) “Kiss the Son.” This goes beyond the limits of a faithful translation and introduces meanings and concepts that were not in the mind of the original biblical author.

The major problem in translating verse 7b is making clear to whom the pronouns refer. This may often be done by using direct speech; for instance, “God said to me, ‘You, king, are now my son’ ” or indirectly “God told me that I the king am his son.”

The expression today I have begotten you may create confusion, as a king is not normally begotten on the day he is made king. It may be necessary to relate this explicitly to the day of enthronement; for example, “On this the day of your becoming king I have become your father.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 6:5

The parallelism in verse 5 is based on the general image of death in the first clause, which becomes the concrete and specific image of death, called Sheol, in the second clause. As will be seen in other verses, line a is a statement and line b is a rhetorical question, the equivalent of a strong negative statement, as in Good News Translation “no one can praise you there.”

This verse reflects the belief that in Sheol, the world of the dead, a person was cut off from God. This was a common belief at that time and held the greatest terror for the devout Israelite. Sheol was the destiny of all who died, the good and bad alike, Israelites and Gentiles as well. It was a dark, dusty, silent abyss in the depths of the earth, where there was no vitality, no joy, no life, but only a pale, shadowy, unreal existence, apart from God. For statements about Sheol see Numbers 16.30-32; Job 3.17-19; Psalms 30.9; 88.10-12; Isaiah 14.9-11; 38.18.

There is no remembrance: in Sheol God is “not remembered” (Good News Translation) nor is he praised; that is, there is no mention of him in prayer or praise. To “remember” Yahweh is to recount what he has done for his people.

Sheol or “the world of the dead” is sometimes rendered “the place where dead people go” or “where the dead people are put.” The translator must be careful that this is not identified with the local cemetery. In many languages it is best to avoid the passive form “you are not remembered” and say “after people have died they cannot think of you, God.” Bible en français courant translates: “After a person has died he does not think about you anymore; among the dead no one can praise you any longer.” Good News Translation has avoided the parallel use of Sheol in line b by using “there.” This may sometimes be translated “in that place no one will say you are great.”

Sheol in line b makes specific the more general death in line a and thus calls the reader’s attention more forcefully to death. The translator may be able to reflect the movement from death to Sheol more clearly than in Good News Translation by saying, for example, “When people are dead they no longer think of you (God). In that dark place of the dead, will anyone say a good word about you? Certainly not.” If the rhetorical question is not used, it may be possible to translate, for example, “when people die, they forget you (God); when they go to the place of the dead, they will no longer praise you.”

Good News Translation transforms the rhetorical question in the second line into a statement. If a rhetorical question is used, it must clearly imply a negative answer: “Who can praise you in Sheol? No one!” or “Can anyone praise you in Sheol? No!”

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 9:15 - 9:16

In these two verses the psalmist speaks of the punishment of the heathen in vivid terms of their being victims of their own evil plans (see 7.15-16).

For nations see comments on 2.1.

Two figures are used: that of a pit, such as was dug in order to catch wild animals, and that of a net, used for catching birds, fish, or small animals. For pit see comments on 7.15. Instead of net, which is not used widely in English as a specific term for an instrument to catch animals, Good News Translation uses the more generic term “trap.” The verb translated have sunk in appears in Psalms only here and in 69.2, 14. The verb “to hide” is often used with “traps” and “nets” (see 31.4; 35.7-8; 64.5; 140.5; 142.3).

In cultures where trapping animals in pits is unknown, it will be necessary to make explicit the purpose of such a pit; for example, “It is just as though the heathen have dug a pit to make their enemies fall in and have fallen in themselves.”

In allowing the wicked to be “trapped by their own deeds” (Good News Translation), Yahweh reveals himself as a just judge. The expression The LORD has made himself known must often be recast as “the LORD has shown who he is.”

The words “by his righteous judgments” (Good News Translation) translate “he has done justice” (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy; An American Translation and Revised Standard Version he has executed judgment); New English Bible “Justice is done.” “His righteous judgments” is a nominal phrase which must often be recast as a clause, and the object of the event of judging must often be made explicit; for example, “he judges people in the right way.” This entire clause can then be related to the previous one as a clause of means: “The LORD has shown who he is by the fact that he judges people in the right way.”

In the last statement (verse 16b), “by the work of his hands the wicked (person) is snared,” “his hands” is usually taken to mean the hands of the wicked person himself; but Briggs and Moffatt take it to mean the hands of Yahweh: “as his hands have trapped the ungodly.” Instead of understanding the verb in the Masoretic text in line b as the passive of the verb “to snare” (Revised Standard Version are snared, Good News Translation “are trapped”), Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“C” decision) takes the Masoretic text pointing (so Briggs) as the participle of the verb “to push” or “to stumble,” meaning either “Yahweh pushes” or “the wicked stumble.” It seems better to take the text as Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others have done. In the work of their own hands and Good News Translation‘s “by their own deeds” are used to express the means by which they are caught. In this context the work of their own hands refers specifically to the pit and the net that they had prepared in order to trap their enemies; it is therefore better to translate “are trapped by the devices they themselves built.” In languages which require an active verb, line b of verse 16 must be recast; for example, “the evil deeds which bad people do trap them.” If the term “net” is used, one must be careful to indicate specifically the type of nets used to catch wild animals, and not one of the various nets used only for fishing.

Higgaion appears also in 19.14, where it means “meditation,” and in 92.3b, where it is translated “melody.” If it is related to the verb for “to meditate” (1.2), it may mean a quiet melody. New Jerusalem Bible translates “Muted music” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); Bible en français courant “interlude.”

Selah: see comments on 3.2.

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 13:3 - 13:4

In this strophe (verses 3-4) the psalmist pleads with Yahweh for help.

Consider translates the verb used in 10.14, which means take notice, pay attention, listen, look.

Answer me: “help me,” “do as I ask.”

The phrase lighten my eyes (literally “give light to my eyes”) means to restore one’s strength, health, vigor (see 38.10; 1 Sam 14.27, 29; Ezra 9.8), since bright eyes were considered the sign of good health. New Jerusalem Bible has “Restore the luster to my eyes.” In many languages it is possible to use a different figure to express lighten my eyes, with the sense of giving strength to someone; for example, “make me strong like a young man,” “give me fresh breath,” or “make my hands strong.”

The psalmist reinforces his plea by listing the consequences if Yahweh does not answer him: (1) he will die (literally “sleep in death”); (2) his enemies will claim that they have defeated him (literally “be able over him,” that is, win, prevail, overcome); (3) they will “gloat” (same verb as that translated “rejoice” in 9.14) over his downfall.

The sleep of death: whenever possible it is advisable to use meaningful figures of speech in the translation of poetry. Many languages use figures to express death; for example, “to fall into the place of the dead,” “to go away” or “to be carried away.”

Translators should pay particular attention to the switching of pronouns in verse 4a. In some languages it will not be natural to switch from first to third person, and even in direct discourse it will often be clearer to use the second person in the final phrase: “we have defeated you.”

I am shaken translates the same verb as in 10.6, to shake, totter. We can only speculate about the of defeat or downfall this was; it could be the psalmist’s death, as Anderson suggests, or else his misfortune in general.

In some languages syntactic adjustments will be required in order to make clear that the psalmist is speaking of his future condition, if God does not intervene. This may often be done by making the consequence a conditional clause; for example, “don’t let me be defeated, because my enemies will be proud” or “don’t let me fail so that my enemies can rejoice.”

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 .