Verse 44a in Hebrew is unclear. The text seems to mean “You removed his splendor (or, purity)” (so An American Translation, New American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). There is much uncertainty over the form and meaning of the noun, which appears nowhere else in the Old Testament. New Jerusalem Bible translates “his splendor” with a note, “Meaning of Heb uncertain.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and New International Version have “You have put an end to his splendor.” Many commentators and translators emend the text to get “his royal scepter” (Good News Translation; also Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible); Revised Standard Version has the scepter from his hand (see Oesterley). Although an impressive number of translations find that the Masoretic text makes sense, it must be admitted that the Hebrew word as it appears in the Masoretic text has not yet been satisfactorily explained.44-45 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“A” decision) says the word may mean “splendour” or “purity”; the former is more probable. If the translator preserves the use of symbols of authority, these should be used as are known in the local language. Otherwise the translation can say “royal power,” “his power as king,” in line a.

Verse 44b should not be understood literally; so a translation can be “you removed him from his position as king” or “you brought his kingdom to an end.” Or else a translation that uses one of the symbols of kingship may be a good parallel to line a. The language vividly expresses the way in which God has shamed and humiliated the king.

As a result of all this, the king has aged prematurely (verse 45a), his health and vigor are gone, and he is covered … with shame. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “you have taken years away from his life”; Bible en français courant “you have shortened his youth.” In some languages “You have made him old” would be the equivalent of having made him wise. For this reason it may in such cases be better to follow the model of such versions as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy and Bible en français courant.

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 .