Psalms 73
1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they said, 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 sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of thy children.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Surely thou hast appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: thou hast cast them down when they were lifted up.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in thy city thou wilt despise their image.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before thee.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Yet I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Thou hast guided me by thy counsel, and thou hast taken me to thyself with glory.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 For what have I in heaven [but thee]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside thee?
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For, behold, they that remove themselves far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed every one that goes 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 cleave close to God, to put my trust in the Lord; that I may proclaim all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
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.
