Psalms 73
1 A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
‘How does God know?’ they say, ‘And has the Most High any knowledge?’
12 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take 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 the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
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 see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to 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 I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
