I cry aloud: the Hebrew is literally “I call (with) my voice,” which probably means “I cry aloud” (as most translations in English have it). Good News Translation makes explicit what is implicit, that is, that the psalmist is calling for help. Cry aloud can easily be misunderstood, as it is difficult to imagine crying or weeping which is not done aloud. Therefore the Good News Translation rendering is more natural, as it expresses both means and purpose.

He answers me: that is, by sending help. Many languages distinguish between answering a question and responding to a request. Here the expression required is the latter. However, a verbal response may mean nothing more than acknowledging that one has heard, and consequently it may be necessary to say “he replied and helped me.”

Yahweh’s holy hill is Mount Zion, where the Temple stood (see 2.6). In some instances it may be well to make this explicit, “He answers me from the Temple on Mount Zion, his holy hill.”

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 .