Psalms 73
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped.
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore pride is as a chain around their neck. Violence covers them as a garment.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression. They speak loftily.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they say, How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked, and those who always prosper. They have possessed wealth.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 for all the day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I had said, I will speak thus, behold, I would have dealt treacherously with the generation of thy sons.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 When I thought how I might understand this, it was too painful for me,
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God, and considered their latter end.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Surely thou set them in slippery places. Thou cast them down to destruction.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How they have become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As a dream from awakening, O Lord, when thou waken, thou will despise their form.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 For my soul was grieved, and I was pricked in my heart.
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 So I was brutish, and ignorant. I was a beast before thee.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee. Thou have held my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Thou will guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in heaven? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For, lo, those who are far from thee shall perish. Thou have destroyed all those who go a whoring from thee.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
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, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness, —I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge, —That I may recount all thy works.
