The psalmist, an old man, refers to his past experience; he has never seen the righteous forsaken by the LORD or his children begging bread, that is, “begging for food.” This may be taken as an exaggerated statement, since the psalm speaks often of the troubles that good people encounter; yet the psalmist would say, just as firmly, that the LORD does not forever forsake those who trust in him. See especially Sirach 2.10.

Children translates “seed” (see comments on “descendants” in 18.50).

In verse 26b a blessing may be either a blessing to the man himself or else a help to others. Some take the line to mean “and his children are blessed,” that is, they benefit from their father’s prosperity; New Jerusalem Bible translates “so his descendants reap a blessing” (similarly New International Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). It is recommended that the idea that the children will be a blessing to the man himself be expressed in translation. His children become a blessing is difficult to translate in some languages where “blessing” is closely associated with liturgical words. Here one may say, for instance, “his children are the good things God has given him” or “his children are the favor God has done to the good 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 .