תְהִלִּים 73

1 מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אַ֤ךְ ט֭וֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֱלֹהִ֗ים לְבָרֵ֥י לֵבָֽב׃

A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2 וַאֲנִ֗י כִּ֭מְעַט נָטָ֣יוּ רַגְלָ֑י כְּ֝אַ֗יִן שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃

But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.

3 כִּֽי־קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃

For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 כִּ֤י אֵ֖ין חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת לְמוֹתָ֗ם וּבָרִ֥יא אוּלָֽם׃

For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.

5 בַּעֲמַ֣ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ אֵינֵ֑מוֹ וְעִם־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃

They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.

6 לָ֭כֵן עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ גַאֲוָ֑ה יַעֲטָף־שִׁ֝֗ית חָמָ֥ס לָֽמוֹ׃

Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.

7 יָ֭צָא מֵחֵ֣לֶב עֵינֵ֑מוֹ עָ֝בְר֗וּ מַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת לֵבָֽב׃

Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

8 יָמִ֤יקוּ ׀ וִידַבְּר֣וּ בְרָ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁק מִמָּר֥וֹם יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃

They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.

9 שַׁתּ֣וּ בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם פִּיהֶ֑ם וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם תִּֽהֲלַ֥ךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.

10 לָכֵ֤ן ׀ יָשׁ֣וּב עַמּ֣וֹ הֲלֹ֑ם וּמֵ֥י מָ֝לֵ֗א יִמָּ֥צוּ לָֽמוֹ׃

Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.

11 וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃

They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 הִנֵּה־אֵ֥לֶּה רְשָׁעִ֑ים וְשַׁלְוֵ֥י ע֝וֹלָ֗ם הִשְׂגּוּ־חָֽיִל׃

Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.

13 אַךְ־רִ֭יק זִכִּ֣יתִי לְבָבִ֑י וָאֶרְחַ֖ץ בְּנִקָּי֣וֹן כַּפָּֽי׃

Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,

14 וָאֱהִ֣י נָ֭גוּעַ כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י לַבְּקָרִֽים׃

For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.

15 אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה כְמ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה ד֭וֹר בָּנֶ֣יךָ בָגָֽדְתִּי׃

If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

16 וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל ה֣וּא בְעֵינָֽי׃

When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—

17 עַד־אָ֭בוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵ֑ל אָ֝בִ֗ינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃

until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.

18 אַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃

Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.

19 אֵ֤יךְ הָי֣וּ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה כְרָ֑גַע סָ֥פוּ תַ֝֗מּוּ מִן־בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃

How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.

20 כַּחֲל֥וֹם מֵהָקִ֑יץ אֲ֝דֹנָי בָּעִ֤יר ׀ צַלְמָ֬ם תִּבְזֶֽה׃

As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.

21 כִּ֭י יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ לְבָבִ֑י וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃

For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.

22 וַאֲנִי־בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃

I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.

23 וַאֲנִ֣י תָמִ֣יד עִמָּ֑ךְ אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִֽי׃

Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.

24 בַּעֲצָתְךָ֥ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְ֝אַחַ֗ר כָּב֥וֹד תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃

You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 מִי־לִ֥י בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְ֝עִמְּךָ֗ לֹא־חָפַ֥צְתִּי בָאָֽרֶץ׃

Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.

26 כָּלָ֥ה שְׁאֵרִ֗י וּלְבָ֫בִ֥י צוּר־לְבָבִ֥י וְחֶלְקִ֗י אֱלֹהִ֥ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃

My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה רְחֵקֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ הִ֝צְמַ֗תָּה כָּל־זוֹנֶ֥ה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.

28 וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ קִֽרֲבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים לִ֫י־ט֥וֹב שַׁתִּ֤י ׀ בַּאדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר כָּל־מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.