OET interlinear PSA 108:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵֽ⁠עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑⁠ךָ וְֽ⁠עַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽ⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

These two phrases your covenant faithfulness is great from above the heavens and your trustworthiness above the clouds mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [For your covenant faithfulness and your trustworthiness are higher than the heavens]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵֽ⁠עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑⁠ךָ וְֽ⁠עַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽ⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

Here David is speaking of God’s covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness as if they were physical things that could extend above the heavens and above the clouds. He means that God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness are immeasurably great. If this image communicates well in your language, please use it. If not, you could express this as a comparison. Alternate translation: [For your covenant faithfulness is better than any human covenant faithfulness, and your trustworthiness is better than any human trustworthiness]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵֽ⁠עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

David is using great from above the heavens as a common expression of his culture to mean “higher than the heavens” or “greater than the heavens.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [For your covenant faithfulness is higher than the heavens]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חַסְדֶּ֑⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of covenant faithfulness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the way that you faithfully love us]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְֽ⁠עַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽ⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

David is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [and your trustworthiness is great from above the clouds]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֲמִתֶּֽ⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: I,will_give_thanks_to_you among,peoples YHWH and,I,will_sing_praises_to_you among nations )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of trustworthiness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the amount that we can trust you is]