Psalms 73
1 A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
A Psalme committed to Asaph. Yet God is good to Israel: euen, to the pure in heart.
2 But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
As for me, my feete were almost gone: my steps had well neere slipt.
3 through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
For I feared at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked.
4 For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
For there are no bandes in their death, but they are lustie and strong.
5 They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men.
6 So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
Therefore pride is as a chayne vnto them, and crueltie couereth them as a garment.
7 their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
Their eyes stande out for fatnesse: they haue more then heart can wish.
8 Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
They are licentious, and speake wickedly of their oppression: they talke presumptuously.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
They set their mouth against heauen, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
Therefore his people turne hither: for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 ‘How does God know?’ they say, ‘And has the Most High any knowledge?’
And they say, Howe doeth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?
12 See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
Lo, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alway, and increase in riches.
13 Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine, and washed mine hands in innocencie.
14 for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
For dayly haue I bene punished, and chastened euery morning.
15 But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
If I say, I will iudge thus, beholde the generation of thy children: I haue trespassed.
16 So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
Then thought I to know this, but it was too painefull for me,
17 till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
Vntill I went into the Sanctuarie of God: then vnderstoode I their ende.
18 Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
Surely thou hast set them in slipperie places, and castest them downe into desolation.
19 One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and horribly consumed,
20 Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
As a dreame when one awaketh! O Lord, when thou raisest vs vp, thou shalt make their image despised.
21 So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
Certainely mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reines:
22 show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.
23 But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
Yet I was alway with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell, and afterward receiue me to glory.
25 Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee.
26 Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
My flesh fayleth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my portion for euer.
27 For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
For loe, they that withdrawe themselues from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee.
28 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.
As for me, it is good for me to draw neere to God: therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy workes.
