Psalms 73
1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquillity of sinners.
because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
11 And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
“God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
12 Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.
If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
18 Surely you have appointed [judgements] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.
For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.
Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.
I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
23 Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.
Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
24 You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with glory.
You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
25 For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?
Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
26 My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.
My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
27 For, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from you.
Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to cleave close to God, to put my trust in the Lord; that I may proclaim all your praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
But I love to stay close to God! I have chosen the Lord God to protect me. I will share all that you have done.
