Psalms 73
1 A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
“How does God know?” they say, “And has the Most High any knowledge?”
12 Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of your children.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Surely you have appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: you have cast them down when they were lifted up.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in your city you will despise their image.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before you.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Yet I am continually with you: you have holden my right hand.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 You have guided me by your counsel, and you have taken me to yourself with glory.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 For what have I in heaven [but you]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside you?
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
27 For, behold, they that remove themselves far from you shall perish: you have destroyed every one that goes a whoring from you.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 But it is good for me to cleave close to God, to put my trust in the Lord; that I may proclaim all your praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
But I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
