God’s power and strength are spoken of in verse 13 as his mighty arm, strong … hand, and high … right hand, that is, the right hand lifted up as a gesture of power. The poetic movement is from mighty arm to hand, and finally right hand. However, in most languages these metaphors will be translated as nonmetaphors.

God’s “kingdom” (Revised Standard Version throne) is his rule over the whole universe; the four divine qualities, Righteousness (see 5.8), justice (see 7.6), steadfast love and faithfulness (see verse 2), characterize his rule. The verb in verse 14b can be understood to mean either “go in front of, precede” (so New American Bible, Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible de Jérusalem) or “attend, wait on” (New Jerusalem Bible “stand before You”); Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates “come out to meet you.” Good News Translation “are shown in all you do” may be defended as an attempt to provide a meaningful statement; it may have been better, however, to say “your love and faithfulness go ahead of you as your messengers” (see similar language in 85.13). The passive construction of Good News Translation will often have to be recast as active; for example, “You have built your kingdom on righteousness and justice” or, in some languages, “You have built your kingdom by being good and treating people justly.”

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 .