The psalm closes with an affirmation of praise to God, the just judge. Verse 9 returns to the first person, but now it is the psalmist, who continues speaking from verse 6 onward. In some languages it may be necessary to make clear that “I” represents the psalmist; for example, “I who write these words will rejoice…” or “the psalmist says, ‘I will rejoice….’ ”
In verse 9a the Masoretic text has “I will tell (or, proclaim),” which Good News Translation has taken to have the God of Jacob as object (so New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New English Bible); but some take the object to be what precedes (New International Version) or what follows, that is, verse 10 (Weiser, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant). The translator is free to follow either.
Instead of the Masoretic text “I will proclaim,” Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint I will rejoice as a closer parallel to I will sing praises in the next line. New English Bible, following a suggestion of G. R. Driver, takes the Masoretic text consonants to represent another verb (not appearing elsewhere in the Old Testament) meaning “magnify, glorify.” For God of Jacob see comments on 20.1. The God of Jacob must often be rendered “the God whom Jacob worshiped.” For sing praises see 7.17b.
In verse 10 in the Masoretic text, God is the speaker (“I will break” in line a); Good News Translation has translationally used the third person “He will break” (likewise Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The translations that have in verse 10 “I will cut off” (New International Version, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) take the psalmist to be the speaker (following from verse 9). But the speaker is God. Bible en français courant takes verse 10 to be the song of praise the psalmist sings. Translators should follow Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version, which have maintained the psalmist’s point of view in verse 10. Some modern translations indicate that the Hebrew has “I,” but this is probably not necessary.
Horns (as in verses 4-5) means “power” and should be so translated; the power of the wicked will be destroyed by God, while that of the righteous “will be increased.”
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 .