addressing God

Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.

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Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.

Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”

In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.

Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).

In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.

See also female second person singular pronoun in Psalms.

Translation commentary on Psalm 22:25 - 22:26

In these two verses the psalmist states that he will keep his promise, and that in return for the LORD’s blessings he will offer to the LORD his thanksgiving offering in the Temple.

Line a of verse 25 is literally “From you my praise in the large assembly” (Revised Standard Version From thee comes my praise in the great congregation). As Anderson remarks, “God is both the source and the object of the writer’s praise.” Good News Translation has taken “from you” to mean “you are the reason why,” and represents this by “(I will praise you) for what you have done.” Thus one may translate “you are the theme of my praise.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy follows a slightly different text (see Taylor): “I will praise your faithfulness.” The expression great congregation is found also in 35.18; 40.9, 10; it means the same as “congregation” in verse 22.

In line b the verb pay translates a Hebrew verb meaning to be whole or complete; so here it means “I will offer (all) the sacrifices I promised (to make).” It is better in English to speak of offering sacrifices that the psalmist had promised, rather than Revised Standard Version my vows I will pay. The expression “offer the sacrifices” requires in some languages a descriptive phrase such as “to give God the gifts of burned animals.”

Notice that Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew in switching from the second person of address in line a (thee) to the third person in line b (him). Good News Translation has the second person in both lines, which is easier to understand.

In this kind of thank offering there was a fellowship meal (see Lev 3.1-5) in which the worshipers ate part of the sacrificed animals. In verse 26 the psalmist declares that The afflicted (see comments on 9.12), whom he has invited to the meal, shall eat and be satisfied. Bible en français courant makes this explicit: “I will invite the humble; may they eat as long as they are hungry!”

In verse 26b those who seek him (see comment at 9.10) is parallel with those who fear him in verse 25b; these are the worshipers, who come into the presence of Yahweh (seek him) in the Temple.

In the last line the psalmist wishes health, prosperity, happiness, for all his guests. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “A long and happy life to you!”; New Jerusalem Bible “Always be of good cheer”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “may you (plural) live many years”; or one can say “Long life to you all!” Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible take this line as the praise offered by those who are sharing in the meal. Revised Standard Version your may not be readily understood as referring to the people mentioned in the two previous lines. It may be better to follow Good News Translation and use here the third person plural, in agreement with lines a and b.

Many languages have set expressions to wish someone special health and long life, particularly in connection with feasting and drinking. In some cases such phrases are too limited in their context and may be objectionable for use in the Scriptures. It may be necessary when using such expressions to employ a more complete clause construction; for example, “May God give you happiness forever” or “God give you good things all your life.”

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 .