Verses 9-10 can be related to the previous two verses, as Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others do; they can, however, be separated from them, either as a description of what God customarily does (“You cause abundant rain to fall”) or as a petition, “Your generous rain pour down, O God” (Dahood).

Rain in abundance (verse 9a) is the meaning given the Hebrew phrase by most commentators and translators; some, however, take it as a figure of the abundant supplies of manna and quail which God sent down on the Israelites during their years in the wilderness; so Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible “a shower of blessings.”

In verse 9b thy heritage means “you … land” (see 16.6 and comments), a reference to Canaan, the Promised Land.

In verse 10 “your people” translates “your living ones,” which some ancient versions took to refer to animals. Revised Standard Version and New American Bible, thy flock, take it as a figure for the people of Israel. Others take it in the sense of “your community” (as “camp” in 2 Sam 21.13); so “thy congregation” (King James Version), “your tribe” (New Jerusalem Bible), “your family” (Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible). In any case the reference seems clearly to be to the people of Israel.

In thy goodness must often be recast as a causative clause; for example, “because you are good you provided for the poor.”

For the needy see comments on “the afflicted” in 9.12.

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 .