Psalms 73

1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

A PSALM OF ASAPH. Surely God [is] good to Israel, to the clean of heart. And I—as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

As nothing, my steps have slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,

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

I see the peace of the wicked, That there are no bands at their death,

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

And their might [is] firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

They are not in the misery of mortals, And they are not plagued with common men.

6 Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain; violence covers them as a garment.

Therefore pride has encircled them, Violence covers them as a dress.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

Their eye has come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, They speak from on high.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.

They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walks in the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

Therefore His people return here, And waters of fullness are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

And they have said, “How has God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Behold, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.

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

Only—a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash my hands in innocence,

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

And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof—every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of your children.

If I have said, “I recount thus,” Behold, I have deceived a generation of Your sons.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

And I think to know this, It [is] perverseness in my eyes,

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Until I come into the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.

18 Surely you did set them in slippery places: you casted them down into destruction.

Surely You set them in slippery places, You have caused them to fall to desolations.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

How they have become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended—consumed from terrors.

20 As a dream when one awakes; so, O Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image.

As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, You despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

For my heart shows itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before you.

And I am brutish, and do not know. I have been a beast with You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with you: you have held me by my right hand.

And I [am] continually with You, You have laid hold on my right hand.

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

You lead me with Your counsel, And after, receive me [to] glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside you.

Whom do I have in the heavens? And none have I desired in earth [besides] You.

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

My flesh and my heart have been consumed, God [is] the rock of my heart and my portion for all time.

27 For, lo, they that are far from you shall perish: you have destroyed all them that go a whoring from you.

For behold, those far from You perish, You have cut off everyone, Who is going whoring from You.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all your works.

And [the] nearness of God to me [is] good, I have placed my refuge in Lord YHWH, To recount all Your works!