Psalms 73
1 A Psalm. Of Asaph. Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean 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 had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping;
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 For this reason pride is round them like a chain; they are clothed with violent behaviour as with a robe.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness;
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I would make clear what it is like, I would say, You are false to the generation of your children.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes;
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As a dream when one is awake, they are ended; they are like an image gone out of mind when sleep is over.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief:
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart are wasting away: but God is the Rock of my heart and my eternal heritage.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For those who are far away from you will come to destruction: you will put an end to all those who have not kept faith with you.
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 come near to God: I have put my faith in the Lord God, so that I may make clear all his 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.
