Psalms 73
1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
A Psalme committed to Asaph. Yet God is good to Israel: euen, to the pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
As for me, my feete were almost gone: my steps had well neere slipt.
3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.
For I feared at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked.
4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
For there are no bandes in their death, but they are lustie and strong.
5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men.
6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
Therefore pride is as a chayne vnto them, and crueltie couereth them as a garment.
7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
Their eyes stande out for fatnesse: they haue more then heart can wish.
8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
They are licentious, and speake wickedly of their oppression: they talke presumptuously.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
They set their mouth against heauen, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
Therefore his people turne hither: for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say, Howe doeth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
Lo, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alway, and increase in riches.
13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine, and washed mine hands in innocencie.
14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
For dayly haue I bene punished, and chastened euery morning.
15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.
If I say, I will iudge thus, beholde the generation of thy children: I haue trespassed.
16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
Then thought I to know this, but it was too painefull for me,
17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
Vntill I went into the Sanctuarie of God: then vnderstoode I their ende.
18 Surely you have appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.
Surely thou hast set them in slipperie places, and castest them downe into desolation.
19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and horribly consumed,
20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.
As a dreame when one awaketh! O Lord, when thou raisest vs vp, thou shalt make their image despised.
21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
Certainely mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reines:
22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.
So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.
23 Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.
Yet I was alway with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with glory.
Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell, and afterward receiue me to glory.
25 For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?
Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee.
26 My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.
My flesh fayleth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my portion for euer.
27 For, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from you.
For loe, they that withdrawe themselues from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from 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.
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.
