Psalms 73
1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
[A Psalm by Asaph.] Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquillity of sinners.
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
Their sin proceeds forth from fatness. Their hearts overflow with imaginations.
8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
Therefore his people turn to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
They say, "How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
12 Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
Look, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
For all day long have I been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.
If I had said, "I will speak thus;" look, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
Until I entered God's sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 Surely you have appointed [judgements] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
How they are suddenly destroyed. They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.
As a dream when one wakes up, so, LORD, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24 You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with glory.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?
Who do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth who I desire besides 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 flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from you.
For, look, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are 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 it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the LORD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works in the gates of the daughter of Zion.
