Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Psalm 77:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 77:10:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “And I thought, ‘On these I will request again:
    the years of the right hand of the One in the Highest.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Then I thought "This is my trouble.
    The Most High has moved His hand
    away from my head."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Then I said, ‘What hurt my feelings is that the Most High God does-not help anymore.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “And then I remember that, ‘I suffer when
    God Almighty comes and refuses me.’” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Basi nikasema, ‘Ambayo yananiumiza sana,
    Mungu mkuu amebadirika, hatusaidii!” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Then I said, ‘What causes me to be very sad is that
    it seems that God, who is greater than any other god, is no longer powerful.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 77:9 - 77:10

In verse 9a gracious means “kind, compassionate, merciful.” Gracious is often rendered idiomatically; for example, “Has God forgotten to have a white stomach for us?”

Verse 9b is literally “Perhaps in anger he has shut out his compassion?” For compassion see comments on “mercy” in 51.1. In some languages the noun phrases of both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in anger and his compassion must be replaced by verb phrases; for example, “Has God become angry with us? Does he no longer feel compassion for us?”

Verse 10 is not very clear in Hebrew. The tense of the initial verb “to say” may be understood as And I say; it seems better, however, to take it as a past tense, “And I said.” It is my grief (Good News Translation “What hurts me most”) translates what in the Masoretic text seems to be “my wound” (so Revised Standard Version, Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, New American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Weiser); Briggs takes it to be “I begin,” that is, “My first word (or, thought).” New Jerusalem Bible translates “It is my fault,” which would be an almost unprecedented statement. Dahood derives the form from another Hebrew root and translates “Perhaps his (God’s) sickness is this.” It is better to follow the majority in their understanding of the Hebrew text.

The second line is taken by most to mean the right hand of the Most High has changed, which means, as Good News Translation translates, “God is no longer powerful” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible) or “God no longer acts the same toward us” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy; see New American Bible footnote). The word which is translated “has changed” can be understood to mean “has withered” (Dahood); or it can be taken as a noun, “the years” (King James Version), but very few follow this interpretation now. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says the meaning of this verse is “and I said: my wound (literally, my being wounded) is this: the change of the Most High’s right hand (that is, of his doings).” New English Bible emends the text to get “Has his right hand lost its grasp? Does it hang powerless, the arm of the Most High?” The thought appears to be “God no longer helps, protects, saves us as he used to”; so Bible en français courant “The Most High God no longer acts on our behalf,” which may be recommended as the best translation of this line.

For translation suggestions for the Most High, see 7.17.

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 .