The verb in line a is the causative form of “to know,” literally “you will cause me to know” (New Jerusalem Bible “You will teach me”); most English translations have show or “reveal.” The path of life is “the path that leads to life” (Good News Translation); Dahood sees this as eternal life. Good News Translation has translated the verb in the future tense, “You will show me.” It may be better to follow Revised Standard Version and translate in the present tense, expressing repeated or continuous action: “You always show me….”

Presence (Hebrew “face”) and right hand are used synonymously, meaning close presence, companionship, care, protection. Revised Standard Version in thy right hand means that God holds in his right hand gifts or blessings that will bring eternal pleasure to the psalmist. It seems better, however, to understand the Hebrew to mean “at your right hand,” that is, “close to you,” parallel with “in your presence” in the preceding line. In many passages “the right hand” is specifically the place of privilege and honor (see 45.9; 110.1). In some instances the two metaphors may be clear and effective in representing the meaning; in other cases nonfigurative language may be better. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “from your right hand comes eternal happiness.”

The two words joy and pleasures (see verse 6) are also used synonymously; fulness of joy is complete joy, “perfect joy” (New Jerusalem Bible).

In thy presence … may have to be recast into a temporal clause; for example, “When you are near me I am joyful” or “When you are near my heart is cool.” The parallel line in thy right hand … is rendered in some languages “because you are near to me, my heart is always cool” or “because you are with me….”

The word translated for evermore does not necessarily mean “eternally”; as Anderson points out, it can mean “for life,” as in Exodus 21.6, “the slave shall serve his owner for life.”

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 .