Psalms 73
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure heart.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped;
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They have not the hardships of mankind, neither are they plagued like [other] men:
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them [as] a garment;
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they say, How can 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 wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened 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 be faithless to the generation of thy children.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 Until I went into the sanctuaries of God; [then] understood I their end.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed with terrors.
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 awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nevertheless 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 wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: God is the rock of my heart and 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 are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth 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 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, 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.
