Since David has not been mentioned since verse 20, it may be necessary to reintroduce him by name. David will acknowledge Yahweh as his Father and his God (see 2 Sam 7.14). The word Father here indicates a special relationship with God which the king enjoys by virtue of the fact that he has been anointed; God “adopts” him as his son (for a similar statement see 2.7 and comments). My God will sometimes have to be rendered as “the God whom I worship.” Good News Translation “my protector and savior” translates the Rock of my salvation (see 62.2 for comments on a similar expression); Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “the rock that saves me,” and Bible en français courant “the rock where I find salvation.” If the translator follows Good News Translation, “my protector and savior” may have to be shifted to say “the one who protects and saves me.”

In verse 27a the first-born is a title that distinguishes the one so named as having rank and privileges above all others. The oldest son received a greater share of his father’s property than any of the other sons and became the head of the family upon the father’s death. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates “I will give him the rights of the oldest son.” The promise here is that David will be a king greater than all other kings. The major problem for the translator in connection with this verse is the ambiguity in make him the first-born. Since the meaning focuses upon the rights of this particular son, it will in most cases be best to follow the model of Biblia Dios Habla Hoy or to say, for example, “I will give him all the things the oldest son should receive.”

In line b highest means “greatest, most powerful, most famous.” As God is the Most High (see 7.17), so David is also the “most high” king (the same Hebrew word ʿelyon).

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 .