The poet concludes by addressing the king, promising him that he will have many sons who will, like his ancestors, also be “kings” and rule over the whole earth (or, “over all the land of Israel”; see Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New English Bible). The Revised Standard Version translation of verse 16a is unintelligible. The Hebrew expression Instead of your fathers shall be your sons means that the king’s male descendants, his sons, will be kings, replacing, as it were, the king’s male ancestors (your fathers), who also had been kings. Princes were a kind of “rulers.” The title was not limited to sons of a king.

In verse 17 the poet promises that he will keep the king’s name, that is, his “fame,” alive forever (see comments on “name” in 5.12). For all time people will remember the king and praise him. Obviously the poet is referring to this song that he has just composed as the way in which the king’s memory will be kept alive forever, not only in Israel but in all the world. In some languages it is not possible to refer to someone’s fame as being alive. Therefore one must often say, for example, “I will cause people to remember always what great things you did.”

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 .