Psalms 73

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

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

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

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

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

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

10 Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.

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

11 They say, “How does God know? 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 wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.

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

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

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

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

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

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

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

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

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

17 until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.

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

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

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

27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to 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 come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

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.