Psalms 73
1 God truly is good to [us] Israeli people, to those who totally want to do all that God desires.
A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
2 As for me, I almost [stopped trusting in God]; [it was as though] my feet slipped and I stumbled [MET],
But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
3 because I envied those who proudly [said that they did not need God], and I saw that they prospered [even though] they were wicked.
because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
4 Those people do not have any pains; they are [always] strong and healthy.
They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
5 They do not have the troubles/difficulties that other people have; they do not have problems like others do.
They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
6 So they are proud, and their being proud is [like] a necklace [that they show to others], and they show off their violent actions like people show off their beautiful robes.
They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their inner beings they (pour out/do) evil deeds, and they are always thinking about more evil things to do.
Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
8 They scoff at [other people], and they talk about doing evil things to them; they are proud while they plan to oppress others.
They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
9 They say evil things about [God who is in] heaven [MTY], and they talk boastfully/proudly about things [that they have done] here on the earth.
They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
10 The result is that people listen to what they say and praise them and do not think that they have done anything that is wrong.
As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
11 Wicked people say [to themselves], “God will certainly not [RHQ] know [what we have done]; [people say that] he is greater than any other god, but he does not know [everything].”
“God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
12 That is what wicked people are like; they never worry about anything, and they are always becoming richer.
Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
13 [So, God], I think it is useless that I have [RHQ] always done what you want me to, and that I have not sinned.
It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
14 All day long I have problems, and every morning you punish me.
I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
15 If I had said the things that the wicked people say, I would have been sinning against your people.
If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
16 And when I tried to think about all this, it was very difficult for me [to understand it].
So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
17 But when I went to your temple, [you spoke to me], and I understood what will happen to the wicked people [after they die].
until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
18 [Now I know that] you will surely put them in slippery places, and they will fall down and die.
For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
19 They will be destroyed instantly; they will die in terrible ways.
How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
20 They [will disappear as quickly] as a dream disappears when a person awakes in the morning; Lord, when you arise, you will (cause them to disappear/forget all about them).
Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
21 When I felt sad/bitter, and brokenhearted,
At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
22 I was stupid and ignorant, and I behaved like an animal toward you.
I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
23 But I am always close to you, and you hold my hand.
Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
24 You guide me by teaching me, and (at the end [of my life]/when I die), you will receive me and honor me.
You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
25 You are in heaven and I belong to you [RHQ], and there is nothing on this earth that I desire more than that.
Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
26 My body and my mind may become very weak, but God, you continue to enable me to be strong; I belong to you forever.
My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
27 Those who remain far from you will be destroyed; you will get rid of those who abandon you.
Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
28 But [as for] me, it is wonderful to be near to God and to be protected by Yahweh, and to proclaim to others all that he has done [for me].
But I love to stay close to God! I have chosen the Lord God to protect me. I will share all that you have done.
