< Psalms 73 >
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Only — good to Israel [is] God, to the clean of heart. And I — as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,
“BOOK III. A psalm of Asaph.” Truly God is good to Israel, —To those who are pure in heart.
2 As nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,
Yet my feet almost gave way; My steps had well nigh slipped:
3 The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,
For I was envious of the proud, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 And their might [is] firm.
For they have no pains even to their death; Their bodies are in full health.
5 In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.
They have not the woes of other men, Neither are they smitten like other men.
6 Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.
Therefore pride encircleth their neck as a collar; Violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
From their bosom issueth their iniquity; The designs of their hearts burst forth.
8 They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.
They mock, and speak of malicious oppression; Their words are haughty;
9 They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.
They stretch forth their mouth to the heavens, And their tongue goeth through the earth;
10 Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.
Therefore his people walk in their ways, And there drink from full fountains.
11 And they have said, 'How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
And they say, “How doth God know? How can there be knowledge with the Most High?”
12 Lo, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
Behold these are the ungodly! Yet they are ever prosperous; they heap up riches.
13 Only — a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain; In vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof [is] every morning.
For every day have I been smitten; Every morn have I been chastened.
15 If I have said, 'I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.
If I should resolve to speak like them, Surely I should be treacherous to the family of thy children.
16 And I think to know this, Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes,
So, when I studied to know this, It was painful to my eyes;
17 Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.
Until I went into the sanctuaries of God, And considered what was their end.
18 Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
Behold! thou hast set them on slippery places; Thou castest them down into unseen pits.
19 How have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended — consumed from terrors.
How are they brought to desolation in a moment, And utterly consumed with sudden destruction!
20 As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.
As a dream when one awaketh, Thou, O Lord! when thou awakest, wilt make their vain show a derision.
21 For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,
When my heart was vexed And I was pierced in my reins,
22 And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
Then was I stupid and without understanding; I was like one of the brutes before thee.
23 And I [am] continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.
Yet am I ever under thy care; By my right hand thou dost hold me up.
24 With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.
Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And at last receive me in glory.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
Whom have I in heaven but thee, And whom on earth do I love in comparison with thee?
26 Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.
Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.
For, lo! they who are far from thee perish; Thou destroyest all who estrange themselves from thee.
28 And I — nearness of God to me [is] good, I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge, To recount all Thy works!
But it is good for me to draw near to God; I put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, That I may declare all thy works.