In this strophe (letter cheth, verses 57-64) the psalmist declares his deep and constant devotion to the Law. The Good News Translation heading can be rephrased as “The psalmist promises to obey God’s Law.”
Yahweh represents all that the psalmist wants (verse 57a), literally “My portion is Yahweh”; for comments on portion see 16.5; 73.26. The division of lines in the Hebrew text makes to keep thy words the object of the verb “I say” (Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation I promise in line b). Bible en français courant, however, divides differently and translates “I repeat: the portion that falls to me, Lord, is to put into practice what you have said.” Similarly New Jerusalem Bible, “My task, I have said, Yahweh, is to keep your word.” The translator may choose to follow this interpretation.
Good News Translation has Yahweh as second person (direct address) in both lines, to keep line a consistent with all the other lines of this strophe. In languages in which “to love” and “to want” are the same, it may be best, if following Good News Translation, to translate “You are all I need.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “you are all I have.”
In verse 58a I entreat thy favor translates a verb meaning “to put (someone) in a good mood, to conciliate” (see its use in 45.12, “will sue your favor”). Be gracious to me means “be kind to me, bless me.” For according to thy promise see verse 41b and comments.
In verse 59a the Hebrew text has “my ways” (Good News Translation “my conduct”); Revised Standard Version thy ways translates the Septuagint. I turn my feet in line b may mean repentance, since the Hebrew verb “to turn” is often used for repentance; so New Jerusalem Bible has “I … have turned back to Your decrees,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “I returned to obeying your laws” may be understood to imply repentance. Good News Translation takes the Hebrew verb here to mean a decision, a resolution, to follow God’s laws. Perhaps the better interpretation is one that implies repentance and a resolve once again to obey God’s laws. It is to be noticed that, since Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint in line a, the statement in line b cannot be understood as implying repentance but expresses the psalmist’s decision to obey God’s laws at all times. If the translator follows “my conduct” as in Good News Translation, it may be necessary to say in line a, for example, “I began to think about the way I was living.”
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 .