Psalms 73
1 A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
A psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose minds are pure.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
But I was stumbling, my feet were starting to slide,
3 For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
because I was jealous of self-important people—I saw how well the wicked were doing.
4 For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
They don't ever seem to get sick; they are strong and healthy.
5 They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
They don't have problems like other people; they don't get hit by disasters like everybody else.
6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
They wear their pride like a necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
Their eyes bulge out because they're so fat; their minds are full of selfish vanity.
8 They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
They mock people, and speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten cruelty.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
They talk irreverently against heaven above, and defame people here on earth.
10 Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
As a result people turn to them and drink in everything they say.
11 They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
“God won't find out,” they say. “The Most High doesn't even know what's going on!”
12 Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
Look at these wicked people! They don't have a care in the world, and they're always making money!
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
It's been pointless to keep my mind pure and my hands clean.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
I'm cursed with suffering all day long; every morning I'm punished.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
If I'd talked like this to others, I would have betrayed your people.
16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
So I thought about it and tried to understand, but it looked like a lot of hard work to me—
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
until I went into God's Temple. Then I understood what happens to the wicked in the end.
18 Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
19 How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
How quickly they're destroyed! They come to a terrifying end.
20 As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
Like waking up from a dream, Lord—when you get up you will forget all about them!
21 For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
At that time my thoughts were bitter. I felt like I had been stabbed.
22 I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
Yet I'm always with you; you hold me by the hand.
24 You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
You tell me what to do; and ultimately you will welcome me in glory.
25 Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
Who is there in heaven for me except you? And I want nothing on earth except you.
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
My body and my mind may fail, but God is the foundation of my life. He is mine forever!
27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
Those people who are far from God will die. You destroy all those unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
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.
