In Hebrew verses 6-7 form a chiastic repetition. Verse 6 has God, then King, while verse 7 has king, then God. In Revised Standard Version as well as Good News Translation, the chiasmus disappears. Translators may or may not be able to retain this feature. They should not do so at the expense of naturalness of style.

In these two verses the people are called upon to Sing praises to God … to our King, and to sing praises with a psalm. Hebrew repeats the command Sing praises in the two lines of verse 6 (see Revised Standard Version); Good News Translation has disregarded this repetition, but it may be very effective in some languages. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy is good: “Sing, sing hymns to God! Sing, sing hymns to our king!” The expression Sing praises to God must often be rendered as “Sing songs and say how great God is.”

The expression God is the king of all the earth must sometimes be rendered “God is king and rules all the people of the world.”

The word translated psalm (see Revised Standard Version footnote) is maskil, for which see the title of Psalm 32. New English Bible translates here “with all your art”; New Jerusalem Bible “learn the music”; Dahood “a skillful song”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “a poem”; New Jerusalem Bible “a hymn.”

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 .