It should be noticed that most of the rest of the psalm (verses 2-3, 5-6) is in the form of direct address to some person; the personal pronoun you is singular. The psalmist could have someone specifically in mind; it is more likely that this is a way of addressing the reader. Where this literary device is fairly common, the translator should use it. Otherwise it is possible to go to the third person; in this case verse 2 would begin (in the language of Good News Translation): “That man’s work will provide for his needs….”

In verse 2 the Hebrew the fruit of the labor of your hands means the result of your work, whether thought of in terms of wages, crops, or food. The thought of the whole line is that the man who obeys Yahweh’s laws will earn enough from his work to provide for his needs at all times. In some languages verse 2a may need to be recast to say, for example, “the work you do will give you what you need to live” or “you will enjoy the results of your work.” Such a man will be happy and all will be well with him, that is, he will be prosperous. In some languages to “prosper” is rendered idiomatically; for example, “you will sit well” or “you will see goodness.”

In verse 3 the psalmist compares such a man’s wife to a fruitful vine, that is, a grapevine that bears many grapes, and his children to young olive trees. It is possible that the psalmist had in mind “sons” (Good News Translation, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) and not children in general. His wife will bear him many children and they will all be strong and vigorous (see 52.8). The figure of olive shoots is that of the shoots that grow up around a cultivated olive tree. Understanding the comparisons in verse 3 depends on familiarity with the grape vine and the olive tree. In languages in which these are unknown, it may be necessary to substitute other vines and trees which are locally cultivated. In the absence of such, it may be necessary to avoid the comparison. In the latter case one may translate, for example, “At home your wife will give you many children; and the children around your table will be many.” Around your table may be a meaningless picture in languages in which children do not sit at a table to eat. Accordingly one may translate “and there will be many children around the fire.”

Verse 4 closes this part of the psalm by repeating the thought of verse 1. It should be noticed that shall … be blessed translates a different Hebrew term from the one used in verse 1. In some languages it will be necessary to shift from the passive to the active and say, for example, “In this way the LORD will surely bless the person who obeys him.”

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 .