Rahab (Ps. 89:10)

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “Rahab” is translated in the interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) as chilombo cha m’nyanja or “beast of the sea.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 96)

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 89:8 - 89:10

Good News Translation restructures the three lines of Revised Standard Version verse 8 as two lines. The psalmist (or the congregation) praises God’s power as Creator (verses 8-14). For translation suggestions on the title “Yahweh God of armies” in verse 8a (LORD God of hosts), see 46.7. LORD in verse 8b translates Yah (see 68.4 and comments).

The word translated mighty occurs only here in the Old Testament. Some (Briggs, Weiser), instead of the Masoretic text mighty, read “your constant love,” which offers a more satisfactory text but is not necessarily the true text.

Good News Translation “in all things you are faithful” translates “your faithfulness (is) around you.” It is difficult to understand the precise notion of faithfulness here (in verse 2 it is joined to “steadfast love,” both of which are the main characteristics of God’s attitude toward his people). Here Yahweh’s role as Creator is in focus, and it is hard to understand why the psalmist singled out this particular characteristic. Cohen explains: “loyalty to his promises enwraps him like a garment.” The word is probably to be understood as speaking of Yahweh’s constancy, his consistency; all he does is in keeping with his character as sovereign Lord of the universe and of his people.

Verses 9-10 describe the creation in language similar to 74.13-14 (see comments there). The raging of the sea represents the primeval force of chaos, the watery abyss, which God subdued at creation. The expression rule the raging of the sea should not be translated by a term that refers to ruling as an administrator, but rather to controlling or subduing. In language areas in which the sea is unknown, a large body of water will have to be substituted, such as “the water of the lake” or “the water of the biggest river.”

The mythological sea monster Rahab is referred to also in Job 9.13; 26.12; Isaiah 51.9. Unlike its use in 87.4, Rahab here refers to the mythological sea serpent. Rahab will require a footnote as in Good News Translation, and cross references.

In verse 10b scatter thy enemies is the literal translation. Good News Translation renders the practical effect: “defeated your enemies.” Good News Translation “your mighty strength” translates thy mighty arm.

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 .