Psalms 73
1 “BOOK III. A psalm of Asaph.” Truly God is good to Israel, —To those who are pure in heart.
[A Psalm by Asaph.] Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 Yet my feet almost gave way; My steps had well nigh slipped:
But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the proud, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pains even to their death; Their bodies are in full health.
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They have not the woes of other men, Neither are they smitten like other men.
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride encircleth their neck as a collar; Violence covereth them as a garment.
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 From their bosom issueth their iniquity; The designs of their hearts burst forth.
Their sin proceeds forth from fatness. Their hearts overflow with imaginations.
8 They mock, and speak of malicious oppression; Their words are haughty;
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They stretch forth their mouth to the heavens, And their tongue goeth through the earth;
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore his people walk in their ways, And there drink from full fountains.
Therefore his people turn to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 And they say, “How doth God know? How can there be knowledge with the Most High?”
They say, "How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
12 Behold these are the ungodly! Yet they are ever prosperous; they heap up riches.
Look, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain; In vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
14 For every day have I been smitten; Every morn have I been chastened.
For all day long have I been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If I should resolve to speak like them, Surely I should be treacherous to the family of thy children.
If I had said, "I will speak thus;" look, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 So, when I studied to know this, It was painful to my eyes;
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuaries of God, And considered what was their end.
Until I entered God's sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 Behold! thou hast set them on slippery places; Thou castest them down into unseen pits.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 How are they brought to desolation in a moment, And utterly consumed with sudden destruction!
How they are suddenly destroyed. They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh, Thou, O Lord! when thou awakest, wilt make their vain show a derision.
As a dream when one wakes up, so, Jehovah, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 When my heart was vexed And I was pierced in my reins,
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 Then was I stupid and without understanding; I was like one of the brutes before thee.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet am I ever under thy care; By my right hand thou dost hold me up.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And at last receive me in glory.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee, And whom on earth do I love in comparison with thee?
Who do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth who I desire besides you.
26 Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, lo! they who are far from thee perish; Thou destroyest all who estrange themselves from thee.
For, look, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, That I may declare all thy works.
But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made Jehovah my refuge, that I may tell of all your works in the gates of the daughter of Zion.
