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,
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 As nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, 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 boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 And their might [is] firm.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they have said, 'How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Lo, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Only — a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof [is] every morning.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I have said, 'I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 And I think to know this, Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes,
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended — consumed from 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 from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 And I [am] continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
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, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely 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, 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.
