Psalms 73
1 A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
Surely God is good to Israel [God prevails], to those who are pure in heart.
2 But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3 because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8 They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
Therefore their people teshuvah ·completely return· to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 “God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in haElyon [the Most High]?”
12 Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
14 I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
For all day long have I been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
If I had said, “I will speak thus;” behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
17 until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
Until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24 You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to kavod ·weighty glory·.
25 Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
26 My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
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.
But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made 'Adonay Adonai [Lord Yahweh] my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
