Psalm 23:6

New Catholic Bible

⁶Only goodness and kindness^[a] will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever and ever.

Psalm 23:6 Goodness and kindness: the terms often refer to blessings of God’s covenant with Israel; here they are personified (see Pss 25:21; 43:3; 79:8; 89:14). Days of my life: see Pss 27:4; 128:5. Forever: this word could mean “throughout the years.” However, since even the pagan people surrounding Israel believed that human life continued after death in some kind of shadowy existence in the netherworld (see notes on Pss 11:7; 16:9-11), the word “forever” legitimately can be taken in its true sense.

Psalm 25:8

New Catholic Bible

⁸^[a]Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore, he instructs sinners in his ways.

⁸The angel of the Lord^[a] encamps around those who fear God,
and he delivers them.

Psalm 34:8 Angel of the Lord: i.e., the Lord’s protection or the presence of God. However, such protection, although promised by the Lord (see Ps 91:11; Gen 32:2; 2 Ki 6:17; Mt 4:5f), is not automatic; it depends on one’s allegiance to the covenant—the “fear of the Lord”—entailing the practices mentioned in verses 12-15.

¹⁰Fear the Lord,^[a] you his saints;
nothing is lacking for those who fear him.

Psalm 34:10 Fear the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5. Saints: that is, those consecrated to God and sharing in his holiness (see Ex 19:6; Lev 19:2; Num 16:3; Isa 4:3; Dan 8:24). See also notes on Pss 4:4; 16:3.

⁶⁸You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.

³Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to honor his name, for he is gracious.^[a]

Psalm 135:3 Praise is due because the Lord himself is good and gracious (or beautiful; see Ps 27:4). The second part of the verse is close to Ps 147:1. He is gracious: another possible translation is: “it is pleasant.”