Psalms 73
1 A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
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, 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.
