This strophe (verses 4-6) begins with the statement that Yahweh will be praised by All the kings of the earth because they have heard the words of thy mouth. This seems to mean that those kings actually heard Yahweh give his laws and promises; it seems best to assume that the meaning is “they have heard about your laws.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translate “when they hear…,” but the Hebrew ki normally means “for, because, that.” New International Version, New English Bible, and Bible en français courant translate the verse as a plea, “May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.” It seems best to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, but say “heard about (or, of).”

In verses 5-6 the Hebrew speaks of Yahweh in the third person; Good News Translation, in order to keep the verses consistent with verse 4, uses the second person of direct address.

In verse 5a the ways of the LORD are his actions, his deeds: “what you have done.” In verse 5b the initial ki is taken by Revised Standard Version, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and New English Bible to mean “for”; Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, and Dahood take it to introduce direct discourse, and so end line a with a colon and place line b within quotation marks, as the content of the song of the kings. Good News Translation has done this but uses indirect discourse, “and about your great glory.” For glory see 3.3. Good News Translation‘s “about your great glory” may have to be recast in some languages as “and sing about how great you are.”

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 .