Once more the psalmist describes his own situation (see verses 3-11); the natural implication of verse 23 is that he is still young but does not expect to live to a ripe old age. Line a is literally “He has brought down my strength in the way”; “way” here is taken to mean “while I am still young” (Revised Standard Version in mid-course). One form of the Hebrew text has “his strength” (so the Septuagint); Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, and the majority of modern texts read the form of the text which has “my strength.” In languages where broken my strength or “made me weak” will refer only to sexual vitality, it may be necessary to say, for example, “has brought me close to death.” In some languages such a notion may be expressed better in figurative language.
In verse 24 the psalmist quotes himself, his prayer that God not let him die but allow him to live a normal life span. Good News Translation, as usual, does not represent this form but has the prayer, with the second person address to God. “Before I grow old” translates in the midst of my days.
Most translations limit the prayer to verse 24; some take it to the end of the psalm (see New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible).
The last line in verse 24 (see Revised Standard Version) is taken by Good News Translation to go with what follows, not with what precedes. It seems difficult to take it to mean, as Revised Standard Version and others render it, that the psalmist is saying, in effect, that it is unfair for God, whose existence has no end, to cut him off in mid-life. So Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible connect it with what follows. Briggs takes the whole strophe (verses 24c-27) to be a fragment of a lost psalm, incorporated into this psalm.
In the last part of the psalm (as understood by Good News Translation), the psalmist, in a hymn to Yahweh, praises his eternal being, which is without beginning or end; this is the basis for the security of those who trust in him (verse 28). In contrast with mortal humankind and transient creation, Yahweh endures forever (see 90.2 for the same affirmation).
The psalmist begins (verse 24c) “for all generations (are) your years,” meaning “your years have no end” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “you live forever” (Good News Translation). This is balanced in the last line of the strophe (verse 27b) by “your years do not end.”
The LORD created the universe (the earth … the heavens); for lay the foundation of the earth in verse 25a, see 89.11; and for verse 25b, see 8.3. Unlike Yahweh, the earth and the heavens are temporary and will vanish (verse 26). The psalmist compares them to clothes which get worn out and so are discarded (see Isa 51.6). In verse 26c Thou changest them (New Jerusalem Bible “You change them”) may appear to mean that Yahweh would replace the old ones with new ones (so Briggs). But it seems better to understand the text as Good News Translation and New English Bible have done. The analogy of the earth and the heavens wearing out like clothes may not be clear. Therefore it may be necessary to recast this expression to say, for example, “they will become old and useless like old clothes” or “they will wear out and be discarded like old clothes.”
Verse 27a in Hebrew is simply “you are he,” a way of speaking of Yahweh’s uniqueness as one who does not change or grow old; verse 27b matches verse 24c.
Verses 25-27 are quoted in Hebrews 1.10-12 substantially as they appear in the Septuagint; in verse 26a the Septuagint has “you will change them,” while Hebrews 1.12 has “you will fold them (or, roll them up).”
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 .