Psalms 73
1 A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
A Psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to the upright in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.
4 For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
5 They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
7 Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
8 They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
10 Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
11 They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of thy children.
16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.
18 Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
Surely thou hast appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: thou hast cast them down when they were lifted up.
19 How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.
20 As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in thy city thou wilt despise their image.
21 For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
For my heart has rejoiced, and my reins have been gladdened.
22 I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
Yet I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand.
24 You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Thou hast guided me by thy counsel, and thou hast taken me to thyself with glory.
25 Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
For what have I in heaven [but thee]? and what have I desired upon the earth beside thee?
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
My heart and my flesh have failed: [but] God [is the strength] of my heart, and God is my portion for ever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
For, behold, they that remove themselves far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed every one that goes a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
But it is good for me to cleave close to God, to put my trust in the Lord; that I may proclaim all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
