Psalms 73
1 A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And they said: How doth 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 sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.
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 condemn the generation of thy children.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is 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 go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to thee.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 But it is good for me to adhere to my God, to put my hope in the Lord God: That I may declare all thy praises, in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
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.
