These two verses are generally recognized as being a later addition to the original poem, reflecting a time when Jerusalem and the Temple were in ruins. Some, however, like Briggs, take the verses to be part of the original composition, and thus regard the psalm as having been composed during a time when the city was in ruins and the people in exile.

In verse 18 the psalmist asks God to restore Jerusalem to her former glory; Zion and Jerusalem both refer to the city. The expression Zion meaning Jerusalem may often require a classifier such as “city” so that it will not be thought of as distinct from Jerusalem. The walls were to surround Jerusalem as fortification against invading armies.

In verse 19 the psalmist tries to counter the antisacrificial tone of verses 16-17 by promising that once again the right sacrifices, which are pleasing to God, will be offered on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. The word right translates tsedeq (see 4.1); Good News Translation has “proper”; Bible en français courant “correct”; New English Bible “appointed”; and New Jerusalem Bible “sacrifices offered in righteousness.” For comments on sacrifices see 40.6.

Verse 19b in Hebrew is literally “burnt offering and whole (burnt) offering”; some scholars believe this to be an intrusion into the text, and it is omitted by New English Bible. It is better, however, to follow the Hebrew text.

Verse 19c may be better translated by the use of an active verb, “Then we (or, your people) will sacrifice bulls on your altar.” The word translated bulls refers to “young bulls,” sometimes translated in English as “bullocks” (see also 22.12). Because of the historical situation, translators should retain bulls in this context. This may mean using a loan word from a major language, or else employing a word meaning cow and qualifying it as “male.” If this is not adequate for the context of sacrifice, an illustration may have to be used and either a descriptive term or a loan word used.

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 .