Psalms 73
1 A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
But as for me, 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.
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.
Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8 They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.
Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 And they said: How doth 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 sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.
Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.
Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, 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 day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.
If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
17 Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.
How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.
As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held 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.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides 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.
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and 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, behold, 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 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 it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
