Psalms, 73

1. [Psalm Of Asaph] Indeed God is good to Israel, the Lord to those who are pure of heart.

1. <A Psalm of Asaph.> Truly God [is] good to Israel, [even] to such as are of a clean heart.

2. My feet were on the point of stumbling, a little more and I had slipped,

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

3. envying the arrogant as I did, and seeing the prosperity of the wicked.

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

4. For them no such thing as pain, untroubled, their comfortable portliness;

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

5. exempt from the cares which are the human lot, they have no part in Adam's afflictions.

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

6. So pride is a necklace to them, violence the garment they wear.

6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them [as] a garment.

7. From their fat oozes out malice, their hearts drip with cunning.

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

8. Cynically they advocate evil, loftily they advocate force.

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

9. Their mouth claims heaven for themselves, and their tongue is never still on earth.

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

10. That is why my people turn to them, and enjoy the waters of plenty,

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

11. saying, 'How can God know? What knowledge can the Most High have?'

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

12. That is what the wicked are like, piling up wealth without any worries.

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

13. Was it useless, then, to have kept my own heart clean, to have washed my hands in innocence?

13. Verily I have cleansed my heart [in] vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14. When I was under a hail of blows all day long, and punished every morning,

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

15. had I said, 'I shall talk like them,' I should have betrayed your children's race.

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

16. So I set myself to understand this: how difficult I found it!

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

17. Until I went into the sanctuaries of the gods and understood what was destined to become of them.

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

18. You place them on a slippery slope and drive them down into chaos.

18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19. How sudden their hideous destruction! They are swept away, annihilated by terror!

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

20. Like a dream upon waking, Lord, when you awake, you dismiss their image.

20. As a dream when [one] awaketh; [so], O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

21. My heart grew embittered, my affections dried up,

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

22. I was stupid and uncomprehending, a clumsy animal in your presence.

22. So foolish [was] I, and ignorant: I was [as] a beast before thee.

23. Even so, I stayed in your presence, you grasped me by the right hand;

23. Nevertheless I [am] continually with thee: thou hast holden [me] by my right hand.

24. you will guide me with advice, and will draw me in the wake of your glory.

24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me [to] glory.

25. Who else is there for me in heaven? And, with you, I lack nothing on earth.

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

26. My heart and my flesh are pining away: my heart's rock, my portion, God for ever!

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

27. Truly, those who abandon you will perish; you destroy those who adulterously desert you,

27. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28. whereas my happiness is to be near God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, to tell of all your works.

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 thy works.