Psalms 73
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure heart.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped;
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 They have not the hardships of mankind, neither are they plagued like [other] men:
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them [as] a garment;
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And they say, How can God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?
‘How does God know?’ they say, ‘And has the Most High any knowledge?’
12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 If I said, I will speak thus, behold, I should be faithless to the generation of thy children.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 Until I went into the sanctuaries of God; [then] understood I their end.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed with terrors.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As a dream, when one awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand;
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
27 For behold, they that are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth a whoring from thee.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 But as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, that I may declare all thy works.
But I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
