The psalm closes with an invitation for all creation to join in praising Yahweh: sea, world, floods and hills (see similar passage in 96.11-13). Verse 7a is exactly like 96.11b. In Hebrew there is no verb in verse 7b; Good News Translation has supplied “sing” as a synonym of “Roar” in line a. Revised Standard Version uses the third person imperative Let in verses 7-8; Good News Translation uses the second person imperative, directly addressing the various parts of the world.

Clap their hands in verse 8a translates a Hebrew verb used only here and in Isaiah 55.12 and Ezekiel 25.6 (in 47.1 a different verb is used). Verses 7-8 are filled with personifications which are problematic in many languages, particularly when an inanimate object is commanded to perform human actions. These may sometimes be shifted to similes, as suggested in 96.11.

The phrase before the LORD in the Hebrew text is at the beginning of verse 9; Good News Translation has placed it at the end of verse 8, since it goes with the verb sing. For a discussion of the verb translated judge (“rule”) see 96.13. Verse 9a (as arranged in Good News Translation) provides the reason for the preceding imperatives. In some languages it will be clearer to state the reason before the commands of verses 7-8. Judge the earth in some languages will have to be shifted to “the people of the earth,” in spite of the personifications in verses 7-8.

Although verse 9c-d resembles 96.13c-d closely, equity translates a different word from the one used in 96.13d; it is used in 96.10c and is a close synonym of tsedeq, righteousness.

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 .