complete verse (Psalm 91:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 91:12:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “and they will carry you with their hands,
    so that your foot should not hit a rock.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “So that your foot will not be injured on a stone,
    they will lift you with their hands.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They will-lift- you (sing.) -up so-that your (sing.) feet will- not -be-wounded on stones.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “they will lift you by their hands,
    so that a stone will not knock your feet.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Watakubeba katika mikono yao,
    ili usiumie mguu wako katika jiwe.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They will hold you up with their hands, with the result that you will not hurt your foot on a big stone.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 91:11 - 91:12

Verses 11-12 are quoted in Matthew 4.6 and Luke 4.10-11 as they appear in the Septuagint; the quote in Matthew omits verse 11b, and in Luke the words “in all your ways” in verse 11b are omitted.

Verse 11 in the Masoretic text is “For he will order his angels concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.” The meaning is quite clear: “God will give his angels orders to protect you wherever you go.” Dahood takes in all your ways to mean “in all your marches,” in a military sense of the king in his campaigns; and in verse 10b he takes “the tent” to be the king’s military headquarters. This is not very convincing.

It is not easy to decide the exact sense of verse 12a; the text may mean that the angels carry the person in their arms (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version) or else help support him as he walks (so Good News Translation and most others). Some commentators refer to the language in Exodus 19.4, where God reminds the people of Israel, “I bore you on eagles’ wings.” Weiser comments that the language expresses “the almost motherly solicitude of God.” The angels “will carry him like a child, carefully and protectively.” For comments on angels see 34.7; 35.5, 6.

The language of verse 12b reflects the harsh and sometimes dangerous condition of the roads in Palestine; the figure is probably used in a general way of not coming to any harm. See the language of slipping and stumbling in 35.15; 37.31; 38.16.

A literal translation of your foot may give the reader the impression that the angels are providing protection for only one part of the body, something like a restricted insurance policy. It may be clearer to say “to keep you from hurting yourself on the stones” or “to keep the stones from hurting you.”

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 .