Psalms 73
1 A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, [Even] to such as are pure in heart.
2 But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
For I was envious at the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
For there are no pangs in their death; But their strength is firm.
5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
They are not in trouble as [other] men; Neither are they plagued like [other] men.
6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full [cup] are drained by them.
11 And they say—How doth 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 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
Behold, these are the wicked; And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end.
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
For my soul was grieved, And I was pricked in my heart:
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was [as] a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden my right hand.
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.
26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
My flesh and my heart faileth; [But] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
27 For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that play the harlot, [departing] from thee.
28 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.
But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord Jehovah my refuge, That I may tell of all thy works.
