uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-poetry

General Information:

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

General Information:

Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. In this psalm David asks God for forgiveness. (See also: figs-parallelism)

For the chief musician

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

Alternate translation: “This is for the director of music to use in worship.”

A psalm of David

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

This could mean: (1) David wrote the psalm or (2) the psalm is about David or (3) the psalm is in the style of David’s psalms.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

when Nathan the prophet came to him

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

It can be stated clearly what Nathan did when he came to David, because this psalm is in response to that. Alternate translation: “when Nathan the prophet came to David and rebuked him”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

because of your covenant faithfulness

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word faithfulness, you could express the same idea with an adjective. Alternate translation: “because you are faithful to your covenant”

for the sake of the multitude of your merciful actions

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

Alternate translation: “because you do so many merciful things”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

blot out my transgressions

(Some words not found in UHB: to,choirmaster song of,David )

Forgiving sins is spoken of as either: (1) blotting them out or (2) erasing a written record of the sins. Alternate translation: “forgive my sins like someone wiping something away” or “forget my sins like someone who erases a record of sins”