The psalmist prays for God’s active intervention in the affairs of the people. In verse 20a the Masoretic text has “the covenant” (see Revised Standard Version footnote), which translationally Good News Translation renders “the covenant you made with us” (for comments on covenant see 25.10). The request Have regard for means to consider, to pay attention to, to honor.

The Masoretic text of verse 20b is a bit obscure and is variously translated. Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy agree substantially on the meaning. The dark places may be the hiding places of violent and lawless people, or else the places where the oppressed have tried to hide from their enemies; even there they are persecuted and killed. In any case the habitations of violence seems to mean “places where lawless people (criminals) live.” In some languages it will be necessary to recast line b to say, for example, “violent people lie in every dark place on earth” or “in all the dark places on earth there are people who do violent deeds.”

Three words describe the people of Israel in verse 21: downtrodden (see comments on “oppressed” in 9.9; 10.18), poor (see comments on “afflicted” in 9.12), and needy (see 12.15).

In verse 21a be put to shame means to be disgraced, oppressed, persecuted, mistreated (see the verb in 35.4a, Revised Standard Version “be put to … dishonor,” Good News Translation “be … disgraced”). The request in the form of a third-person imperative in verse 21b is that the poor and needy be helped and rescued, so that they will once again have reason to praise Yahweh. Instead of let, something like “make it possible for…” will be better in this context, since let here introduces an imperative, not a request for permission.

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 .