The description of the wicked continues. In verse 8a the verb translated scoff occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. Speak with malice can be understood to mean “plan evil” (New Jerusalem Bible); New Jerusalem Bible renders the line “Cynically they advocate evil.”

Verse 8b is literally “from on high they speak oppression”; the phrase “from on high” denotes pride, arrogance. So Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible loftily, New International Version “in their arrogance,” and Good News Translation “they are proud.” These people are proud and they assume that they can, with impunity, carry out their threats to mistreat others.

The language of verse 9 in Hebrew is fairly clear: “they place in heaven their mouth, and their tongue goes about on earth.” Most translations, like Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, and New English Bible, take this to mean blasphemy against God (line a) and malicious talk about other people (line b). But some see here mythological allusions in which the wicked are compared to monsters which devour the whole universe, but whose appetite is not satisfied (see Dahood, Anderson). If the translator can maintain the poetic imagery here, he should do so, but not at the expense of falling into a meaningless or misunderstood expression. Good News Translation‘s “speak evil of God…” is often rendered “they say evil words about God” or “they say ‘God is worthless.’ ” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has retained the metaphor by saying “they attack the heavens with their lips and go about the earth making idle talk.”

Verse 10 in Hebrew is quite unintelligible (see Revised Standard Version footnote), and most translations resort to emendations. In line a Good News Translation “God’s people” follows essentially the meaning of the Septuagint, which has “my people.” New English Bible is similar, “And so my people follow their lead” (see also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “And so people praise them.” Good News Translation‘s “God’s people turn to them” is less specific than Revised Standard Version‘s turn and praise them. In most translations it will be best to make the purpose clear; for example, “and so God’s people listen to what they say” or “… God’s people follow their example.”

Verse 10b in the Masoretic text seems to be “and waters of a full (cup) are drained out to them” (see Revised Standard Version footnote). Good News Translation has taken the Hebrew as a figure of people “drinking in” whatever the wicked pour out; Bible en français courant “and drink in their words like water.” New English Bible is like An American Translation and Revised Standard Version: “and find nothing to blame in them.”8-10 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that the two different forms of the Masoretic text, the ketiv and the qere, have two different meanings. The qere would be “Therefore his people (that is, God’s people) go back to there/to that point (that is, astray from the right road), and water in abundance is (eagerly) absorbed by them (that is, these thoughts of doubt and despair are absorbed by them with eagerness).” The ketiv would be “Therefore he brings back his people (that is, God who, for reverence, is not explicitly named, in such a context of rebellion and doubt against his providence) to there/to that point (that is, leading them astray from the right way), and water in abundance is (eagerly) absorbed by them” (with the same explanation as above).

One translator (Hanson) judged the Hebrew text of this verse so unclear that he did not translate it. However, Bible Society translations are expected to retain it in some form.

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 .