The psalmist begins by calling on the people to praise Yahweh and to proclaim to everyone all that he has done (verses 1-2); see similar statement in 75.1. Call on his name is an exhortation to worship and praise Yahweh (for name see 5.11). The translation can be “worship him” or “praise him.” Bible en français courant has “Say in a loud voice that he is God.” In verse 1c the peoples are the Gentile nations, and it may be better to translate “the other nations” or “all other peoples.”
In verse 2a the Hebrew has two synonymous verbs for “sing” (see Dahood “sing … chant”); Briggs says the two refer to vocal and instrumental music. Good News Translation has expressed the command with one verb phrase, “Sing praise.” Verse 2b repeats, in essence, what is said in verse 1c; the people are exhorted to proclaim the great deeds of God in the history of Israel.
Verse 3a is literally Glory in his holy name (similarly New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Dahood), which Biblia Dios Habla Hoy renders “Be proud of his holy name” (also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Good News Translation has taken the verb halal “to glory” (reflexive form) to indicate not just pride but happiness as well (see New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible “Exult”); see the same form in 63.11b and 106.5c, parallel with “rejoice” in 63.11a and 106.5b. His holy name is Yahweh’s character revealed to his people in choosing them and making them his own. Briggs explains differently: “make boast of the majestic sacredness of the renown won by Yahweh.” Perhaps “Be proud of what the holy God has done!” best expresses the meaning of the Hebrew; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bible en français courant have “Be proud of him, the holy God.”
In verse 3b Seek the LORD translates the verb occurring also in 24.6b, and seek his presence (literally “his face”) in verse 4b uses the same verb; in verse 4a the verb is the same as in 9.10. In all instances the meaning is to go to the Temple and worship Yahweh. In verse 4a the Hebrew is “Seek Yahweh and his strength,” which Good News Translation takes to mean his help. New Jerusalem Bible takes his strength to be a reference to the Covenant Box (as in 78.60-61; see 132.8). Bible en français courant has “Turn to the almighty Lord,” and New English Bible “Turn to the LORD, your strength.” The expression Seek the LORD should not be rendered in such a way that the reader may get the impression that the LORD has become lost. Good News Translation‘s “Go to the LORD” is particularly appropriate, containing as it does both the idea of going to the place where God was to be found, and worshiping him.
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 .