Psalms 73
1 A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
A Psalme committed to Asaph. Yet God is good to Israel: euen, to the pure in heart.
2 But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
As for me, my feete were almost gone: my steps had well neere slipt.
3 because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
For I feared at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked.
4 They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
For there are no bandes in their death, but they are lustie and strong.
5 They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men.
6 They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
Therefore pride is as a chayne vnto them, and crueltie couereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
Their eyes stande out for fatnesse: they haue more then heart can wish.
8 They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
They are licentious, and speake wickedly of their oppression: they talke presumptuously.
9 They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
They set their mouth against heauen, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
Therefore his people turne hither: for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 “God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
And they say, Howe doeth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
Lo, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alway, and increase in riches.
13 It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine, and washed mine hands in innocencie.
14 I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
For dayly haue I bene punished, and chastened euery morning.
15 If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
If I say, I will iudge thus, beholde the generation of thy children: I haue trespassed.
16 So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
Then thought I to know this, but it was too painefull for me,
17 until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
Vntill I went into the Sanctuarie of God: then vnderstoode I their ende.
18 For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
Surely thou hast set them in slipperie places, and castest them downe into desolation.
19 How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and horribly consumed,
20 Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
As a dreame when one awaketh! O Lord, when thou raisest vs vp, thou shalt make their image despised.
21 At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
Certainely mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reines:
22 I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.
23 Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
Yet I was alway with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell, and afterward receiue me to glory.
25 Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee.
26 My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
My flesh fayleth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my portion for euer.
27 Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
For loe, they that withdrawe themselues from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee.
28 But I love to stay close to God! I have chosen the Lord God to protect me. I will share all that you have done.
As for me, it is good for me to draw neere to God: therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy workes.
