The psalmist praises God for his steadfast love for his people and for protecting them (refuge); for the figure the shadow of thy wings, see comment at 17.8b. The adjective precious in this context means that God’s love is worth having, it is valuable; it brings blessings and benefits to people. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “Your love is incomparable,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “How marvelous…!” In verse 7b the translator may find it necessary to add a simile in order to make the comparison easier for the reader to grasp; for example, “You protect people like a bird protects its young under its wings.” For the Hebrew phrase “the sons of men” (Revised Standard Version The children of men), see 11.4 and comments. Instead of “We” (Good News Translation), it is better to say “People” or “Everyone.”
Instead of O God! The children of men take refuge in verse 7a-b, the Hebrew text may be understood to say “gods and men find protection…” (so Dahood, New English Bible). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project regards this as possible, and the form of the Masoretic text seems to make it more probable than the other rendition.
The inexhaustible blessings of God are compared to abundance of thy house and the river of thy delights. The noun translated abundance is “fatness”; it is used to refer to olive oil, food, and rich food. Some take of thy house to be the Temple, and that sacrificial feasts are being spoken of (see 23.5, 6 and comments); it seems best to understand the expression figuratively.
The river spoken of here is that which flows from the upper waters stored above the heavenly dome (see 33.7 and comments; Job 38.25a), from which come the life-giving rains that cause plants and crops to grow (see 65.9; 104.13). Delights translates a noun that is related to the place name Eden. The idea is that which is pleasant and enjoyable. The expression the river of thy delights can usually be kept as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation by recasting in the form of a simile; for example, “receive your good things that flow like a river” or “your good things flow like a river, and people drink from it.”
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 .