There are some difficulties in clearly understanding the Hebrew text of verses 7-8. The Masoretic text of verse 7a is “a brother a man cannot redeem” (see Revised Standard Version footnote); but instead of the Masoretic text “brother” some Hebrew manuscripts have “Surely” (this is the Hebrew wording used by Good News Translation and others). New Jerusalem Bible also reads “surely” in the text, with “brother” in the footnote; but it takes “man” as the object of the verb, making “it” (the wealth of verse 6b) the subject. Its translation is “Ah, it cannot redeem a man.” In either case the thought is the same: there is not enough money for anyone to buy permanent life insurance; death comes to all, even to the very wealthy. Perhaps Bible en français courant is best, in understanding two different subjects, as follows: “No one has the means to pay God for the life of another person, or to give him the price of his own life.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible follows the Masoretic text and translates lines a and b “No one can pay the price for someone else or pay God for his ransom”; a note points out that in the second line “his” may refer to the subject of the verb “pay” or to the “someone else” of the first line. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project follows the Masoretic text in line a (“A” decision) and proposes “Nobody can really ransom a brother.” It should be kept in mind that in these three verses what the psalmist is speaking of is earthly life, mortal life, not life after death.

For the verb ransom (“redeem”) see its use in 25.22. The expression no man can ransom himself must be said in some languages as “no one can pay for his life” or “no one can pay money in order to live forever.”

Verse 8a is literally “the payment for their nefesh (see 3.2) is costly.” Good News Translation has taken “their” as a general pronoun, that is, anyone’s life (so New Jerusalem Bible “the price of life is too high”). Revised Standard Version prefers to follow the Septuagint “his” instead of the Masoretic text “their.”

The next line (verse 8b) is in Hebrew “and he (or, it) leaves (or, ceases) forever,” which can be taken in at least two ways: (1) as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done, it refers to the ransom: “What he could pay would never be enough” (also Weiser, New English Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New International Version, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy); or (2) with reference to human life, “and life (or, everyone) will cease forever” (New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The first option seems preferable. Bible en français courant translates “One must give up such an idea once and for all.”

In verse 9 the two lines are synonymous (Good News Translation has reversed them); “the grave” translates the Pit, a name for Sheol (see 16.10); see the Pit means to experience death.

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 .