Many translators will find, like Good News Translation, that the substitution of hands and arms for the whole person is not satisfactory. The purpose of the instruction must often be expressed as a verb; for example, “He teaches me how to fight” or “He shows me the way to make war.”

A bow of bronze would be very heavy, and only a strong man would be able to use it. But since a bronze bow would be a rather unusual weapon, Anderson thinks that the language means a bow that shoots arrows tipped with bronze (see Job 20.24b, where the words may mean either a bronze bow or a bronze arrow). It seems best here to say “a bronze bow,” “a bow made of bronze.” If the bow is known but bronze is not, it may be best to say “so that I can bend a metal bow” or perhaps “… an iron bow.” The heightening effect may best be expressed as “He not only trains me to fight; he even enables me to bend a metal bow.”

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 .