Let $f=ax+b{x}^q+x^{2q-1}{\in }_q\left[x\right]$. We find explicit conditions on a and b that are necessary and sufficient for f to be a permutation polynomial of ${}_{q²}$. This result allows us to solve a related problem: Let $g_{n,q}{\in }_p\left[x\right]$ (n ≥ 0, $p=cha{r}_q$) be the polynomial defined by the functional equation ${\sum }_{c{\in }_q}{(x+c)}^n=g_{n,q}(x^q-x)$. We determine all n of the form $n=q^{\alpha }-q^{\beta }-1$, α > β ≥ 0, for which $g_{n,q}$ is a permutation polynomial of ${}_{q²}$.

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 11T06, 13P10.A theorem of S.D. Cohen gives a characterization for Dickson polynomials of the second kind that permutes the elements of a finite field of cardinality the square of the characteristic. Here, a different proof is presented for this result.Research supported by the CERES program of the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth, contract nr. 39/2002.