The psalmist begins by stating the nature and purpose of his composition. First (line a) he describes his own feeling as he gets ready to write: his heart is stirred up by the beautiful poem he is about to compose.

Overflows translates a verb that may mean “stir up, excite” (“My heart is stirred by a noble theme”).

Goodly theme translates “a good word,” variously represented by “a noble theme” (New English Bible, New International Version), “Beautiful words” (Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), or “beautiful speech” (Bible en français courant).

In some languages it is not possible to represent the Hebrew My heart overflows nor Good News Translation “words fill my mind” without some adaptation. Sometimes it is possible to say idiomatically “My heart is full of good words” or “My heart is speaking good words.”

My verses (Good News Translation “this song”) translates what is literally “my deeds” in the Masoretic text; with different vowels the Hebrew word can be read as “my deed.” Most translate “my poem”; New English Bible has “the song I have made.”

The composition is dedicated to the king, and the psalmist compares himself to the pen of a ready scribe. The word translated ready means quick, skilled, expert (see its use in Ezek 7.6); scribe here means “writer.”

In some languages it will be necessary to state more explicitly the purpose for the writing of the song; for example, “I write this song the singers will sing to the king.” Otherwise the reader may understand that the song is merely for the possession of the king. In some languages it is necessary to place my tongue before the thing it is compared with, as in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation has reversed the order, which is acceptable in poetic English. The expression like the pen of a ready scribe may require some adaptation in translation; for example, “like a person who knows how to write well.”

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 .