Psalms 73

1 A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.

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

2 But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,

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

3 through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.

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

4 For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.

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

5 They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.

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

6 So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,

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

7 their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.

Their sin proceeds forth from fatness. Their hearts overflow with imaginations.

8 Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.

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

9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.

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

10 Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.

Therefore his people turn to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.

11 ‘How does God know?’ they say, ‘And has the Most High any knowledge?’

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

12 See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.

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

13 Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;

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

14 for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.

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

15 But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.

If I had said, "I will speak thus;" look, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

16 So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:

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

17 till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.

Until I entered God's sanctuary, and considered their latter end.

18 Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.

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

19 One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.

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

20 Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.

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

21 So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart

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

22 show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.

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

23 But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.

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

24 By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.

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

25 Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.

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

26 Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.

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

27 For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.

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

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.

But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made Jehovah my refuge, that I may tell of all your works in the gates of the daughter of Zion.