Psalms 73
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
A Psalm of Asaph. Only — good to Israel [is] God, to the clean of heart. And I — as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
As nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,
4 They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed.
And their might [is] firm.
5 They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men.
In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them.
Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.
7 From their prosperity proceeds iniquity; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
8 They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.
They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.
10 So their people return to this place and drink up waters in abundance.
Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.
11 The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
And they have said, 'How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
12 Behold, these are the wicked— always carefree as they increase their wealth.
Lo, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands.
Only — a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,
14 For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.
And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof [is] every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children.
If I have said, 'I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight
And I think to know this, Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes,
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end.
Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.
18 Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
19 How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
How have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended — consumed from terrors.
20 Like one waking from a dream, so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.
As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.
21 When my heart was grieved and I was pierced within,
For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
23 Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.
And I [am] continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.
24 You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.
With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You.
Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.
27 Those far from You will surely perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
For, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.
28 But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.
And I — nearness of God to me [is] good, I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge, To recount all Thy works!
