Psalms 73

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

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure heart.

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

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

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

For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.

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

For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;

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

They have not the hardships of mankind, neither are they plagued like [other] men:

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

Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them [as] a garment;

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

Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:

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

They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:

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

They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

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

Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.

11 They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

And they say, How can 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 wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.

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

Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:

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

For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened 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 be faithless to the generation of thy children.

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

When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;

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

Until I went into the sanctuaries of God; [then] understood I their end.

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

Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.

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

How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed with terrors.

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

As a dream, when one awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.

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

When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,

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

Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.

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

Nevertheless 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 wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.

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

Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.

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

My flesh and my heart faileth: God is the rock of my heart and 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 are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth 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 as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, that I may declare all thy works.