Psalms 73
1 A Psalm of Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to those who are upright in heart.
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, [even] to such as are pure in heart.
2 But my feet were nearly moved; my steps had nearly slipped.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was zealous over the iniquitous, seeing the peacefulness of sinners.
For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no respect for their death, nor do they have support in their wounds.
For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not with the hardships of men, nor will they be scourged with men.
They are not in trouble as [other] men; neither are they plagued like [other] men.
6 Therefore, arrogance has held on to them. They have been covered with their iniquity and impiety.
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their iniquity has proceeded, as if from fat. They have parted from the affection of the heart.
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They have thought and spoken wickedness. They have spoken iniquity in high places.
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has traversed the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore, my people will be converted here, and fullness of days will be found in them.
Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full [cup] are wrung out by them.
11 And they said, “How would God know?” and, “Isn’t there knowledge in high places?”
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are sinners, and, abounding in this age, they have obtained riches.
Behold, these are the wicked; and, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.
13 And I said: So then, it is without purpose that I have justified my heart and washed my hands among the innocent.
Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocency;
14 And I have been scourged all day long, and I have received my chastisement in the mornings.
For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I were to say that I would explain this: Behold, I would condemn this nation of your sons.
If I had said, I will speak thus; behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
16 I considered, so that I might know this. It is a hardship before me,
When I thought how I might know this, it was too painful for me;
17 until I may enter into the Sanctuary of God, and understand it to its last part.
Until I went into the sanctuary of God, and considered their latter end.
18 So, because of deceitfulness, truly, you have placed it before them. While they were being lifted up, you were casting them down.
Surely thou settest them in slippery places: thou castest them down to destruction.
19 How have they been brought to desolation? They have suddenly failed. They have perished because of their iniquity.
How are they become a desolation in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream is to those who awaken, O Lord, so will you reduce their image to nothing in your city.
As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 For my heart has been inflamed, and my temperament has been changed.
For my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins:
22 And so, I have been reduced to nothing, and I did not know it.
So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was [as] a beast before thee.
23 I have become like a beast of burden to you, and I am always with you.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand.
24 You have held my right hand. And in your will, you have conducted me, and with your glory, you have taken me up.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 For what is there for me in heaven? And what do I wish for on earth before you?
Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My body has failed, and my heart: O God of my heart, and God my portion, into eternity.
My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
27 For behold, those who put themselves far from you will perish. You have perished all those who fornicate away from you.
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to adhere to God, to put my hope in the Lord God, so that I may announce all your prophecies, at the gates of the daughter of Zion.
But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all thy works.
