In line a the word translated cattle is not the normal form in Hebrew for “cattle”; and the verb translated be heavy with young (Good News Translation “reproduce plentifully”) means either “to load” or “to carry.” It may be taken to refer to pregnancy and gestation of cattle, but the difficulty is that the verb form is a masculine plural participle; and so, instead of taking it to refer to reproduction (parallel with the bearing of sheep of verse 13c-d), some take it to mean the strength of the cattle; so New English Bible “fat and sleek” (see New Jerusalem Bible “well cared for,” Dahood and New Jerusalem Bible “well fed”). New International Version‘s “our oxen will draw heavy loads” is unlike any other translation consulted.

Verse 14b is “may there be no break and no departure.” Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New English Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy take this to refer to the cattle, meaning without miscarriage or loss as cows give birth to calves. But New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Dahood take it to mean a break in the walls of the city caused by invaders, and a going out of the inhabitants into exile. Dahood has “Let there be no invasion, and let there be no exile” (similarly Bible en français courant, New International Version, New American Bible; New Jerusalem Bible “free of raids and pillage”). There is no way of deciding which is correct; the second interpretation ties in with what follows, and the first with what precedes.

Verse 14c refers to the alarm and distress caused by imminent invasion of foreign troops.

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 .