The adjective pleasant (see note at 16.6) means that what is so characterized brings joy, causes pleasure, and is by its very nature good.

In this verse all translations consulted have the sense of when brothers dwell in unity or “when people live together as brothers” (see New Jerusalem Bible). Only Good News Translation translates the Hebrew brothers by “God’s people.” Instead of “to live” as the translation of the form of the Hebrew verb meaning “to sit” or “to live,” New Jerusalem Bible and Bible de Jérusalem have “sit together,” which implies a communal meal as part of the festival; and New English Bible footnote has “to worship together.” Bible en français courant has simply “to be together.” Any of these is a defensible translation of the Hebrew text. In some languages the expression “sit together” is idiomatic, meaning to live harmoniously. In other languages an expression such as “tie themselves to one thing” or “tie their hearts together” carries the same meaning.

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 .