Psalms 73
1 A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
2 But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquillity of sinners.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
11 And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they said, How does 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 sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
Surely you have appointed [judgements] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
20 As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with glory.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?
26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is 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, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from 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 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.
