The psalmist compares his spiritual experience to a rich feast; marrow and fat represent the best food. Actually, animal fat was not eaten but was to be offered to the LORD (Lev 3.16-17; 7.22-25). It seems better to abandon marrow and fat and use such expressions as “a rich feast” (New Jerusalem Bible), “banquet” (New American Bible), “a delicious banquet” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), “the richest of foods” (New International Version), “a rich and sumptuous feast” (New English Bible). Line a can sometimes be rendered “I will be satisfied like one who eats at a feast.” In line b mouth and lips are the usage of a part of the person to represent the person, and may be rendered, for example, “I will praise you joyfully” or “I will say with a joy heart, ‘God is great.’ ”

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 .