Psalms 73
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God [is] good to Israel, [even] to such as are of a clean heart.
A PSALM OF ASAPH. Surely God [is] good to Israel, to the clean of heart. And I—as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
As nothing, my steps have slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,
3 For I was envious at the foolish, [when] I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
I see the peace of the wicked, That there are no bands at their death,
4 For [there are] no bands in their death: but their strength [is] firm.
And their might [is] firm.
5 They [are] not in trouble [as other] men; neither are they afflicted like [other] men.
They are not in the misery of mortals, And they are not plagued with common men.
6 Therefore pride encompasseth them as a chain; violence covereth them [as] a garment.
Therefore pride has encircled them, Violence covers them as a dress.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Their eye has come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly [concerning] oppression: they speak loftily.
They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, They speak from on high.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walks in the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full [cup] are wrung out to them.
Therefore His people return here, And waters of fullness are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
And they have said, “How has God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these [are] the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase [in] riches.
Behold, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart [in] vain, and washed my hands in innocence.
Only—a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash my hands in innocence,
14 For all the day long have I been afflicted, and chastened every morning.
And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof—every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend [against] the generation of thy children.
If I have said, “I recount thus,” Behold, I have deceived a generation of Your sons.
16 When I thought to know this, it [was] too painful for me;
And I think to know this, It [is] perverseness in my eyes,
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; [then] I understood their end.
Until I come into the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou didst cast them down into destruction.
Surely You set them in slippery places, You have caused them to fall to desolations.
19 How are they [brought] into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
How they have become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended—consumed from terrors.
20 As a dream when [one] awaketh; [so], O LORD, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.
As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, You despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
For my heart shows itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,
22 So foolish [was] I, and ignorant: I was [as] a beast before thee.
And I am brutish, and do not know. I have been a beast with You.
23 Nevertheless I [am] continually with thee: thou hast held [me] by my right hand.
And I [am] continually with You, You have laid hold on my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me [to] glory.
You lead me with Your counsel, And after, receive me [to] glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire besides thee.
Whom do I have in the heavens? And none have I desired in earth [besides] You.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God [is] the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
My flesh and my heart have been consumed, God [is] the rock of my heart and my portion for all time.
27 For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go astray from thee.
For behold, those far from You perish, You have cut off everyone, Who is going whoring from You.
28 But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
And [the] nearness of God to me [is] good, I have placed my refuge in Lord YHWH, To recount all Your works!
