Psalms 73
1 A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
“BOOK III. A psalm of Asaph.” Truly God is good to Israel, —To those who are pure in heart.
2 But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
Yet my feet almost gave way; 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 of the proud, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
For they have no pains even to their death; Their bodies are in full health.
5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
They have not the woes of other men, Neither are they smitten 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 encircleth their neck as a collar; Violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
From their bosom issueth their iniquity; The designs of their hearts burst forth.
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
They mock, and speak of malicious oppression; Their words are haughty;
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
They stretch forth their mouth to the heavens, And their tongue goeth through the earth;
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
Therefore his people walk in their ways, And there drink from full fountains.
11 And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they say, “How doth God know? How can there be knowledge with the Most High?”
12 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
Behold these are the ungodly! Yet they are ever prosperous; they heap up riches.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain; In vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
For every day have I been smitten; Every morn have I been chastened.
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
If I should resolve to speak like them, Surely I should be treacherous to the family of thy children.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
So, when I studied to know this, It was painful to my eyes;
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
Until I went into the sanctuaries of God, And considered what was their end.
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
Behold! thou hast set them on slippery places; Thou castest them down into unseen pits.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
How are they brought to desolation in a moment, And utterly consumed with sudden 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 awaketh, Thou, O Lord! when thou awakest, wilt make their vain show a derision.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
When my heart was vexed And I was pierced in my reins,
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
Then was I stupid and without understanding; I was like one of the brutes before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
Yet am I ever under thy care; By my right hand thou dost hold me up.
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And at last receive me in 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 whom on earth do I love in comparison with thee?
26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
Though my flesh and my heart fail, 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 who are far from thee perish; Thou destroyest all who estrange themselves 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 to God; I put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, That I may declare all thy works.
