Psalm 73
King James Version
73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
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.
Psalm 73
1599 Geneva Bible
73 1 The Prophet teacheth by his example that neither the worldly prosperity of the ungodly, 14 nor yet the affliction of the good ought to discourage God’s children: but rather ought to move us to consider our Father’s providence, and to cause us to reverence God’s judgments, 19 forasmuch as the wicked vanish away, 24 and the godly enter into life everlasting, 28 in hope whereof he resigneth himself into God’s hands.
A Psalm committed to Asaph.
1 Yet [a]God is good to Israel: even to the pure in heart.
2 As for me, my feet were almost gone: my steps had well near slipped.
3 For I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are [b]no bands in their death, but they are lusty and strong.
5 They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men.
6 [c]Therefore pride is as a chain unto them, and cruelty covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out for fatness: [d]they have more than heart can wish.
8 They are licentious, and speak wickedly of their oppression: they talk presumptuously.
9 They [e]set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his [f]people turn hither: for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they [g]say, How doth God know it? or is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Lo these are the wicked, yet prosper they always, and increase in riches.
13 Certainly I have cleansed mine heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency.
14 For daily have I been punished, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, [h]I will judge thus, behold the generation of thy children, I have trespassed.
16 Then thought I to know this, but it was too painful for me,
17 Until I went into the [i]Sanctuary of God: then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou hast set them in slippery places, and castest them down into desolation.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and [j]horribly consumed,
20 As a dream when one awaketh! O Lord, when [k]thou raisest us up, thou shalt make their image despised.
21 Certainly mine heart was vexed, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a [l]beast before thee.
23 Yet I was always [m]with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in [n]heaven but thee? and I have desired none in the earth with thee.
26 My flesh faileth and mine heart also: but God is the strength of mine heart, and my [o]portion forever.
27 For lo, that they withdraw themselves from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all them that [p]go a whoring from thee.
28 As for me, it is good for me [q]to draw near to God: therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Footnotes
- Psalm 73:1 As it were between hope and despair he bursteth forth into this affection, being assured that God would continue his favor toward such as were godly indeed, and not hypocrites.
- Psalm 73:4 The wicked in this life live at pleasure and are not drawn to death like prisoners: that is, by sickness which is death’s messenger.
- Psalm 73:6 They glory in their pride as some do in their chains, and in cruelty, as some do in apparel.
- Psalm 73:7 Hebrew, they pass the desires of the heart.
- Psalm 73:9 They blaspheme God, and fear not his power and rail upon men, because they esteem themselves above all others.
- Psalm 73:10 Not only the reprobate, but also the people of God oftentimes fall back, seeing the prosperous estate of the wicked, and are overwhelmed with sorrows, thinking that God considereth not aright the estate of the godly.
- Psalm 73:11 Thus the flesh moveth even the godly to dispute with God touching their poor estate, and the prosperity of the wicked.
- Psalm 73:15 If I give place to this wicked thought, I offend against thy providence, seeing thou disposeth all things most wisely and preservest thy children in their greatest dangers.
- Psalm 73:17 Until I entered into thy school and learned by thy word and holy Spirit, that thou orderest all things most wisely and justly.
- Psalm 73:19 By thy fearful judgment.
- Psalm 73:20 When thou openest our eyes to consider thy heavenly felicity, we contemn all their vain pomp.
- Psalm 73:22 For the more that man goeth about by his own reason to seek out God’s judgments, the more doth he declare himself a beast.
- Psalm 73:23 By faith I was assured that thy providence did watch always over me, to preserve me.
- Psalm 73:25 He sought neither help nor comfort of any save of God only.
- Psalm 73:26 He teacheth us to deny ourselves, to have God our whole sufficiency, and only contentment.
- Psalm 73:27 That is, forsake thee to seek others.
- Psalm 73:28 Though all the world shrink from God, yet he promiseth to trust in him and to magnify his works.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
