inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Ps 85:12)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translations both use the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

Translation commentary on Psalm 85:12 - 85:13

In verse 12 Good News Translation “The LORD will make us prosperous” translates the LORD will give what is good; this can be understood as “give blessings.” New Jerusalem Bible has “give prosperity”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “success.” Dahood takes “the good” here to mean rain (also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), as a result of which the land will “produce rich harvests.” Yea at the beginning of the verse represents an emphatic “Certainly,” “Surely,” of the Hebrew text.

In verse 13a Righteousness is seen as a herald going ahead of Yahweh, preparing the way for him. This is the third occurrence of the term (after verses 10 and 11), marking this verse as the conclusion of a minor unit in the psalm.

Verse 13b is somewhat unclear; it seems to mean “and prepare the path for him,” giving the purpose of the verb in line a. Revised Standard Version makes no sense in English; New International Version “and prepare the way for his steps” is, presumably, what Revised Standard Version intends to say (so New Jerusalem Bible “treading out a path”). Briggs and others emend to “and peace walks (in) his footsteps,” that is, either preceding him (so New English Bible) or following him (so New American Bible, Weiser). This makes better sense than the Masoretic text, even though the Masoretic text can be understood as Good News Translation and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy have translated. New Jerusalem Bible has “as He sets out on His way.” In languages in which Righteousness as a noun can be used, it is possible to adjust line a to a simile to say, for example, “righteousness goes like a guide ahead of the LORD to prepare his path” or “… to prepare the path for him to come on.”

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 .