Psalms 73
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped.
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Therefore pride is as a chain around their neck. Violence covers them as a garment.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression. They speak loftily.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And they say, How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
“How does God know?” they say, “And has the Most High any knowledge?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked, and those who always prosper. They have possessed wealth.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 for all the day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 If I had said, I will speak thus, behold, I would have dealt treacherously with the generation of thy sons.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 When I thought how I might understand this, it was too painful for me,
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God, and considered their latter end.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Surely thou set them in slippery places. Thou cast them down to destruction.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 How they have become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As a dream from awakening, O Lord, when thou waken, thou will despise their form.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 For my soul was grieved, and I was pricked in my heart.
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 So I was brutish, and ignorant. I was a beast before thee.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee. Thou have held my right hand.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Thou will guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
27 For, lo, those who are far from thee shall perish. Thou have destroyed all those who go a whoring from thee.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God. I have made the lord Jehovah my refuge, that I may tell of all thy works.
But I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
