The psalmist proclaims the happiness of those who live in God’s Temple. Even the sparrow and the swallow are to be envied; they live in the Temple, with their nests near the altars. The text of verse 3 is not altogether clear; Briggs and Dahood rearrange the text in two different ways. But the Masoretic text as it is may be taken to mean what Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others have. Kirkpatrick refers to the fact that in ancient times birds which had their nests in temples were considered sacred.

There were two altars in the Temple built by Solomon: the altar for burnt offerings, at the entrance to the Temple, and the gold altar for burning incense, in front of the Most Holy Place. Here the plural altars may simply be emphatic; some, like New Jerusalem Bible, translate “Your altar.”

In languages where the sparrow and swallow are not known, other local birds may be substituted, provided they are birds which are known for building their nests inside buildings. It is also possible to employ a generic term for birds, even as the Hebrew term translated sparrow may be generic. In areas where birds are not known to build nests in buildings, an explanatory note may be required.

Lay her young, at thy altars refers to the laying of the eggs in the nest near the altar and not the placing of the young near the altar for sacrifice, as Good News Translation makes clear.

The double form of address, my King and my God, should not be taken by the reader as two persons. It may be necessary therefore to say, for example, “my king who is my God,” or in some languages “the king who rules over me and who is the God I worship.”

For translation suggestions on Blessed are in verse 4, see 1.1. The words those who dwell in thy house may be meant literally, referring to the permanent staff of priests and Levites; or else, in a more general sense, it means all people who regularly worshiped in the Temple (see Anderson; see the language in 15.1; 24.3). Thy praise means “praise (offered) to you.”

For Selah see 3.2.

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 .