Sing to the LORD: In many languages translators have to supply an object for “sing,” as in “Sing praises to the LORD” or “Sing songs of praise to the LORD,” in which case the first two lines are essentially combined into one. Another way to render this would be “Praise the LORD in song.”

He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers: Life translates the same word frequently rendered “soul” (see 4.10); and needy may also mean “oppressed” (Good News Translation). As in 15.21, hand refers to power. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates this part of the verse as “For he rescued the poor from the power of his enemies.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .