In verse 13 He himself translates the Hebrew “his nefesh.”
The verb translated abide means in other passages “to spend the night.” Here it means “to continue, to stay.” Abide in prosperity should not be translated in such a manner as “to have wealth,” for this is too limiting. Furthermore, in many languages it will be necessary to state the source of the prosperity, that is, God. One may say, for example, “The LORD will always give them good things” or “The LORD will always bless them with a good life.”
Children translates the word “seed,” meaning descendants, offspring (see comment on 18.50). In this context the affirmation in verse 13b is that the descendants of those who obey Yahweh will continue to live in the land of Israel (see especially 37.9, 11, 22, 29), that is, they will not be driven out of the land by their enemies. So it may be preferable to translate “their descendants will possess (or, continue to live in) the land.” In some languages possess the land may be rendered “own the land” or “be owners of the land.”
In verse 14 the noun translated friendship has in some contexts the specific meaning of “secret,” either in a good sense of advice and counsel, or in a bad sense of a plot (see 64.2). Anderson suggests that here, in parallel with his covenant in line b, the word may mean “counsel” (so New Jerusalem Bible); New English Bible has “confides his purposes,” Bible en français courant “confides his secret,” and New Jerusalem Bible “possess his secret,” with a footnote stating that this means “intimacy with God.” The main point is the intimate relationship which Yahweh’s followers have with him. Here, as elsewhere, to fear Yahweh means to honor, respect, obey him.
In verse 14b makes known seems to have the sense of affirming, not that of disclosing for the first time. Or else, like Bible en français courant, “he teaches them the duties of the covenant,” or “he teaches them what his covenant requires of them.” The verb is an infinitive, “to make known to them,” and so some take “covenant” as the subject, not the object (“his covenant will impart knowledge to them”); this is not very likely. Make known to them his covenant should not be translated in such a way as to imply that they did not know what the covenant was. If the translator follows the lead of Good News Translation, it may be possible to say, for example, “he reminds the people that his covenant is true” or “he tells the people, ‘My covenant with you is real.’ ”
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 .