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. Surely God is good to Israel, to those with a pure heart.
2 As for me, I almost [stopped trusting in God]; [it was as though] my feet slipped and I stumbled [MET],
But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my feet almost slipped out from under me
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 envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 Those people do not have any pains; they are [always] strong and healthy.
For they have no pain until their death, but they are strong and well fed.
5 They do not have the troubles/difficulties that other people have; they do not have problems like others do.
They are free from the burdens of other men; they are not afflicted like other men.
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.
Pride adorns them like a necklace around their neck; violence clothes them like a robe.
7 From their inner beings they (pour out/do) evil deeds, and they are always thinking about more evil things to do.
Out of such blindness comes sin; evil thoughts pass through their hearts.
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 and speak wickedly; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
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 set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongues march through the 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.
Therefore his people turn to them and abundant waters are drained out.
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].”
They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?”
12 That is what wicked people are like; they never worry about anything, and they are always becoming richer.
Take notice: these people are wicked; they are always carefree, becoming richer and richer.
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.
Surely it is in vain that I have guarded my heart and washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have problems, and every morning you punish me.
For all the day long I have been afflicted and disciplined every morning.
15 If I had said the things that the wicked people say, I would have been sinning against your people.
If I had said, “I will say these things,” then I would have betrayed this generation of your children.
16 And when I tried to think about all this, it was very difficult for me [to understand it].
Though I tried to understand these things, it was too difficult for 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].
Then I went into God's sanctuary and came to understand their fate.
18 [Now I know that] you will surely put them in slippery places, and they will fall down and die.
Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.
19 They will be destroyed instantly; they will die in terrible ways.
How they become a wilderness in a moment! They come to an end and are finished in awful terrors.
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).
They are like a dream after one wakes up; Lord, when you arise, you will think nothing of those dreams.
21 When I felt sad/bitter, and brokenhearted,
For my heart was grieved, and I was deeply wounded.
22 I was stupid and ignorant, and I behaved like an animal toward you.
I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was like a senseless animal before you.
23 But I am always close to you, and you hold my hand.
Yet I am always with you; you hold my right 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 will guide me with your advice and afterward receive me to 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.
Whom have I in heaven but you? There is no one on earth that I desire but 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 flesh and my heart grow weak, but God is the strength of my heart forever.
27 Those who remain far from you will be destroyed; you will get rid of those who abandon you.
Those who are far from you will perish; you will destroy all those who are 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 as for me, all I need to do is to approach God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge. I will declare all your deeds.
