The psalmist pleads with Yahweh to remember how he, Yahweh, has always manifested mercy (or “kindness”) and steadfast love (or “faithfulness”; see 5.7) for his people, ever since the beginning of their history. If Yahweh calls to mind what he did in the past, he will do the same in the present time.

The major problem in the translation of verse 6 is that the two noun phrases, thy mercy and thy steadfast love, which the psalmist asks God to remember, are events which God has done. Therefore it will often be more natural to express these as clauses; for example, “Remember, O LORD, how you have been kind to your people and how you have showed them your great love” or “Do not forget, O LORD, how you have always been kind and loved your people.”

They have been from of old: see Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, “which you have always manifested to us”; New Jerusalem Bible has “they are old as time”; New English Bible “shown from ages past.” Something like “which you have always done for us in the past” or “… always done ever since you have been our God” seems to be the best way to translate this phrase.

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 .