Psalms 73

1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!

A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!

2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.

But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.

Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.

4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.

For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.

5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.

They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.

6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.

Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.

7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.

Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.

8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.

They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.

9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.

They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.

10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.

Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.

11 And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?

And they said: How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.

Behold these are sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.

13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.

And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.

14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.

And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.

15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.

If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.

16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,

I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:

17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.

Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.

18 Surely you have appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.

But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.

19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.

How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.

20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.

As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.

21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.

For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:

22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.

And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.

23 Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.

I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.

24 You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with 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 For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?

For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?

26 My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.

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, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from you.

For behold they that go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to thee.

28 But it is good for me to cleave close to God, to put my trust in the Lord; that I may proclaim all your praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

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.