This verse marks the summary intention of the psalm. The relation between the two parallel lines is that of consequence. The psalmist calls upon Yahweh, and as a result he is saved from my enemies. If the translator wishes to help the reader understand the function of the verse in the entire poem, it will be necessary to consider carefully how this can be done in terms of the receptor language. This may be done by putting the final line first; for example, “Praise the LORD! I call out, and so he saves me from my enemies.”

I call upon the LORD should not be rendered by a term which means to shout at someone. Also in many languages it is necessary to indicate the purpose in the calling; for example, “I call to the LORD for help” or “I call to the LORD, ‘Help me!’ ”

Who is worthy to be praised in the Hebrew is the first word in the verse, a passive participle of the verb “to praise” (as in 48.1; 96.4). Good News Translation translates it as “Praise the LORD!” and places it at the end of the verse. Its relation to what follows in the Hebrew is not quite clear, and emendations have been proposed. But New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and others take it as Revised Standard Version has, who is worthy to be praised or “who should be praised,” which may be rendered “people (or, everybody) should praise him.” New American Bible has “Praised be the LORD, I exclaim.” Dahood and others connect it with the preceding word (the last word in verse 2), “my stronghold, worthy of praise.”

Worthy to be praised must often be recast as an active construction, and in the present context it may be necessary to shift to the first person as the one who praises; for example, “I praise the LORD” or “I say the LORD is good.”

For I am saved see comments on “help” in 12.1.

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 .