After his eloquent description of God as the Creator, the psalmist returns to his complaint and his pleas.

In translation Remember is not to be expressed by the verb that implies someone has forgotten a fact. The psalmist is asking God to keep in mind that the enemies scoff. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “Bear in mind.” The verbs in verse 18, scoffs and reviles, are the same as in verse 10. For translation suggestions on various synonyms of the word translated scoffs, see 2.4; 10.5; 22.7. Impious translates nabal “fool” (see comments on “fool” in 14.1). New Jerusalem Bible has “base people”; Bible en français courant “these stupid people”; New International Version “foolish people.” For the use of thy name as a substitute for “you,” see 5.11 and 8.1.

In verse 19a Good News Translation “your helpless people” translates “the nefesh of your dove” (for nefesh see 3.2). Dove here seems to be a symbol for Israel (see Hos 7.11). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy takes it as a metaphor for helplessness and translates with a simile, “We are as weak as doves.” Bible en français courant abandons the metaphor: “the life of the people who are so dear to you.” Instead of the Masoretic text toreka “your dove,” the Septuagint and Syriac represent a Hebrew text (also found in one Hebrew manuscript) todeka “the one who praises you” (in a collective sense); this is preferred by New English Bible. Translators should follow the Masoretic text.

Good News Translation “their cruel enemies” represents the wild beasts. Translators will need to follow the kinds of adjustments made by Good News Translation in order to avoid what may be meaningless renderings based on the delivery of the soul of thy dove to the wild beasts.

Do not forget has the meaning of “Do not reject,” which is parallel with Good News Translation‘s “Don’t abandon.” “Your persecuted people” translates the life of thy poor (see 9.12). The word translated life in verse 19b may here be used in the sense of “community, family” (see comments on this use in 68.10a, “thy people”).

The sense of for ever, with the negative do not forget, is equivalent to “don’t keep on forgetting,” or “stop forgetting,” or “do not neglect.”

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 .