Psalms 73
1 BOOK THIRD: “A Psalm of Assaph.” Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure of heart.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, it lacked but little that my feet had been moved: almost nothing was needed that my steps had slipped.
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For there are no deadly fetters for them, but their strength is firm.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They share not in the trouble of mortals, and with men are they not afflicted.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore is pride their neck-chain: violence envelopeth them as a garment.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eyes start out from fatness: they have exceeded their heart's imaginings.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They scorn, and speak wickedly of oppression: loftily do they speak.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh busily on the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore do his people turn away hither: and waters of a full cup are drained by them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they say, How should God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked; and yet prospering continually they increase in wealth.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Verily in vain have I thus cleansed my heart, and have washed in innocency my hands:
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 While I was afflicted all the day, and my chastisement [came] every morning.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 But if I were to say, I will speak thus: behold, I would be treacherous against the generation of thy children.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 And when I should think to know this, it would be trouble in my eyes;
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 Until I enter into the sanctuary of God; and understand what their future will be.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Surely thou placest them on slippery spots: thou lettest them fall down into destruction.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they perish, they come to their end with terrific events.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As a dream after awaking, O Lord, reject thou in wrath their image.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 For it fermented in my heart, and in my reins I felt sharp thrusts;
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 But I was indeed foolish, and I knew it not: I was as a [thoughtless] beast with thee.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast seized hold of me by my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 With thy counsel wilt thou guide me, and afterward take me on to glory.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in heaven? and beside thee I desire nothing upon earth.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Though my flesh and my heart should fall; yet the rock of my heart, and my portion will be God for ever.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For, lo, those that are far from thee shall perish: thou destroyest every one that strayeth away from thee.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
28 But as regardeth me, to draw near to God is good for me: I have put in the Lord Eternal my trust, that I may relate all thy works.
But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness, —I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge, —That I may recount all thy works.
