Psalms 73
1 A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
A Psalm. Of Asaph. Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean in heart.
2 But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
But as for me, my feet had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping;
3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.
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 others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men.
6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
For this reason pride is round them like a chain; they are clothed with violent behaviour as with a robe.
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire.
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts.
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them.
11 And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness;
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment.
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
If I would make clear what it is like, I would say, You are false to the generation of your children.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes;
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers.
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction.
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 is awake, they are ended; they are like an image gone out of mind when sleep is over.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief:
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand.
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth.
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 are wasting away: but God is the Rock of my heart and my eternal heritage.
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 those who are far away from you will come to destruction: you will put an end to all those who have not kept faith with you.
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 come near to God: I have put my faith in the Lord God, so that I may make clear all his works.
