Is translates the imperfect of the verb “to be”; some take it as a wish, “May the LORD be” (New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); some commentators, following the Septuagint, change the Hebrew vowels to get “The LORD has become.”
The psalmist’s thought now turns to how Yahweh protects those who trust him. The word translated stronghold means a secure height or a high wall or fortress, and occurs often in Psalms as a metaphor for God’s protection (New Jerusalem Bible “haven”); it is repeated in line b. For poetic effect Good News Translation uses two terms, “a refuge … a place of safety.” Stronghold or “fortress” as structures are often unknown in many cultures, and attempts to invent descriptive terms such as “big house for defense” do not always yield satisfactory results. Consequently, in such cases it is usually best to transfer to a nonmetaphor, as Good News Translation has done; for example, “The LORD protects the oppressed.”
The oppressed (also 10.18; 74.21) are powerless people who are crushed, exploited, discriminated against, whose only hope is the LORD. Oppressed is in a sense elliptical and is expressed in some languages as “people who are pushed down” or “people whose necks are held down by others.”
The word translated trouble means more narrowly “drought” (used only here, in 10.1, and in Jer 14.1).
Verse 10 reaches back to verse 5 and contrasts those who know thy name with the wicked, whose name God has blotted out. Therefore it is important in translation to reflect the contrast by using related expressions in the two verses.
To “know the name of Yahweh” is to have a personal relationship with him of trust and dependence; for name see comments on 5.11. Who know thy name most often means nothing more than being acquainted with the name of someone. In many languages it will be necessary to fill out the missing components; for example, “those who know you in their hearts” or “people who truly know you.”
Forsaken here has the sense of “forsake, neglect, abandon”; negatively expressed, “not help.” It is well to begin line b of verse 10 with for, giving the ground, or reason, for the psalmist’s statement in line a.
Seek translates a verb meaning “to look for.” It has a broad range of meaning: “to search, inquire about, go to for information.” With God as object it may mean “to pray to, worship, or serve him.” Sometimes it shades over into the meaning “to care for,” that is, to like, to be concerned about (as in 142.4 “no man cares for me”). So Dahood translates here “those who care for you”; New Jerusalem Bible “those who turn to you.” In the translation of those who seek thee, it is necessary to avoid giving the impression that God is a lost object to be found. Good News Translation avoids this problem with “who comes to you.” However, in many languages it is necessary to add the purpose of coming; for example, “you do not abandon anyone who comes to you for help” or “… anyone who comes to worship you.”
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 .