In this strophe (letter mem, verses 97-104) the psalmist expresses his deep love for the Law and how it has blessed him. The heading of this strophe may be lightly recast for translation in some languages to say “The psalmist loves the Law of the LORD.”

For verse 97a see similar statements in verses 47b, 48a, 113b, 163b. The psalmist is always studying the Torah (verse 97b); for meditation see verses 15a, 27b. All the day is not to be understood literally to mean 24 hours a day. His continued study of the Torah has made him wiser than his enemies (verse 98a), his teachers (verse 99a), and the aged (verse 100a). For translation notes on comparatives see verse 72. When translating the aged or Good News Translation‘s “old men,” some languages distinguish between old people who are senile and elders who are mentally alert; the first group would be inappropriate in this context.

In verse 98a the Hebrew text has the plural “your commandments”; by a change of vowels, however, the singular “Your commandment” is read, which many prefer.

In verse 98b it is ever with me expresses the same thought as It is my meditation all the day in verse 97b; and verse 99b thy testimonies are my meditation is another way of saying the same thing. Bible en français courant translates verse 98b “because I reflect a long time on your commands.”

The psalmist’s teachers (verse 99a) were those who had taught him the Torah; and in Israelite society older people were regarded as especially wise, so that the psalmist’s claim to understand more than them (verse 100a) is quite surprising. The implication here is that he is not an old man.

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 .