Psalms 73
1 A Psalme committed to Asaph. Yet God is good to Israel: euen, to the pure in heart.
A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
2 As for me, my feete were almost gone: my steps had well neere slipt.
But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I feared at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked.
Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.
4 For there are no bandes in their death, but they are lustie and strong.
For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.
5 They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men.
They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.
6 Therefore pride is as a chayne vnto them, and crueltie couereth them as a garment.
Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
7 Their eyes stande out for fatnesse: they haue more then heart can wish.
Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.
8 They are licentious, and speake wickedly of their oppression: they talke presumptuously.
They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.
9 They set their mouth against heauen, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turne hither: for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.
11 And they say, Howe doeth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?
And they said: How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Lo, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alway, and increase in riches.
Behold these are sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.
13 Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine, and washed mine hands in innocencie.
And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.
14 For dayly haue I bene punished, and chastened euery morning.
And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.
15 If I say, I will iudge thus, beholde the generation of thy children: I haue trespassed.
If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.
16 Then thought I to know this, but it was too painefull for me,
I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:
17 Vntill I went into the Sanctuarie of God: then vnderstoode I their ende.
Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
18 Surely thou hast set them in slipperie places, and castest them downe into desolation.
But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and horribly consumed,
How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.
20 As a dreame when one awaketh! O Lord, when thou raisest vs vp, thou shalt make their image despised.
As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.
21 Certainely mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reines:
For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:
22 So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.
And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.
23 Yet I was alway with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.
24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell, and afterward receiue me to glory.
Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me.
25 Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee.
For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
26 My flesh fayleth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my portion for euer.
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.
27 For loe, they that withdrawe themselues from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee.
For behold they that go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to thee.
28 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.
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.
