In verse 8a the object in Hebrew of the verb “you answered” is them, which could still refer to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. But it is clear that them and their in lines b and c are the people as a whole and not the three men, and so it seems preferable to take them in line a as “your people” (so Anderson and others). Most translations, however, have simply “them.” Forgiving translates the verb nasah, which in most contexts has the sense of “to carry, bear”; and avenger translates the verb naqam, which has the sense of “take vengeance” (see 94.1). Here it refers to God punishing the people for their wrongdoings. For translation suggestions on forgiving see 25.18. Verse 8c is a concession clause in Good News Translation, and if it is used as a model, in some languages it may have to be moved ahead of verse 8b.

The psalm closes with a final exhortation for the people to praise Yahweh as the holy God of Israel. Extol means to acclaim or announce the greatness of Yahweh: “Proclaim that the LORD our God is mighty.” The 1976 British edition of Good News Translation switches in verse 8 to “my God”; this was corrected to “our God” in later editions. For Yahweh’s holy mountain see 2.6. Here, as throughout Psalm 99, the psalmist refers to the God of Israel, and in languages which must make a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person plural pronouns, our God will require an appropriate form for including the hearers as fellow Israelites.

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 .