The psalmist prays that the king’s reign may benefit the people, like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. In verse 6a the Hebrew word translated mown grass (New Jerusalem Bible “mown field”) may refer to a field whose grass has been mown once and needs rain for a second growth (Kirkpatrick; see Amos 7.1); others take it to mean grain that is ready for reaping (Briggs; so New Jerusalem Bible “early crops”). This is hardly the sense, since rain on grain that is ready to harvest can cause crop damage. A general term like “planted fields” or “growing crops” will be more effective in translation.

In many languages it will be necessary to make clear in the translation the beneficial purpose of the rain simile; for example, “May the king’s rule help the people like rain…”; or the purpose may be repeated in both clauses; for example, “May the king’s reign provide for the people as the rains provide for the growing crops.” In areas where rain does not fall, but where irrigation is based on river water coming from a distant source, the translator may substitute “water” for rain and say, for example, “May he be like the water that nourishes the growing crops, like the river waters that nourish the earth.”

In verse 6b the Hebrew term translated that water (Good News Translation “falling on”) occurs only here in the Old Testament and is still somewhat of a puzzle; but the general sense in this context seems clear enough.

In his days (Good News Translation “in his lifetime”) may also be rendered “as long as he lives.”

In verse 7a the Masoretic text is “the righteous person” (tsadiq); several Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint, Syriac, and Jerome have “righteousness” (tsedeq), which better parallels peace in line b (see verse 3). Here also Hebrew Old Testament Text Project decides against the Masoretic text, attributing its reading “the righteous person” to assimilation to parallel passages. The expression may righteousness flourish may sometimes be rendered as “I pray that straightness (goodness, right living) increase everywhere.”

Peace rendered “prosperity” in Good News Translation will be translated differently in various languages. Where the focus is upon the happy state of the individuals, many languages express the idea idiomatically; for example, “may people with cool hearts sit well.” If the focus is upon material prosperity, many languages may say something like “may the good things the people receive from God increase” or “may God give more and more good things to his people.”

Till the moon be no more is a poetic way of saying “for ever.”

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 .