Mazmur 66:7-8

66:7 He rules ¹  by his power forever;

he watches ²  the nations.

Stubborn rebels should not exalt ³  themselves. (Selah)

66:8 Praise ⁴  our God, you nations!

Loudly proclaim his praise! ⁵ 

[66:7]  ¹ tn Heb “[the] one who rules.”

[66:7]  ² tn Heb “his eyes watch.” “Eyes” are an anthropomorphism, attributed to God here to emphasize his awareness of all that happens on earth.

[66:7]  ³ tn The verb form is jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al). The Kethib (consonantal text) has a Hiphil form of the verb, apparently to be understood in an exhibitive sense (“demonstrate stubborn rebellion”; see BDB 927 s.v. רוּם Hiph), while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Qal form, to be understood in an intransitive sense. The preposition -לְ (lamed) with pronominal suffix should be understood in a reflexive sense (“for themselves”) and indicates that the action is performed with the interest of the subject in mind.

[66:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “bless,” in the sense of declaring “God to be the source of…special power” (see HALOT 160 s.v. II ברך pi).

[66:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “cause the voice of his praise to be heard.”