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73 A Psalm of Asaph. Only -- good to Israel [is] God, to the clean of heart. And I -- as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,

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

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

And their might [is] firm.

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

Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.

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

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

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

10 Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.

11 And they have said, `How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'

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

13 Only -- a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,

14 And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof [is] every morning.

15 If I have said, `I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.

16 And I think to know this, Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes,

17 Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.

18 Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.

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

20 As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.

21 For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,

22 And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.

23 And I [am] continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.

24 With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.

25 Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.

26 Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.

27 For, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.

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

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.(A)

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(B)
    I had nearly lost my foothold.(C)
For I envied(D) the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(E)

They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
They are free(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride(G) is their necklace;(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.(I)
From their callous hearts(J) comes iniquity[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;(K)
    with arrogance(L) they threaten oppression.(M)
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care,(N) they go on amassing wealth.(O)

13 Surely in vain(P) I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.(Q)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(R)
    and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(S) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(T) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.(U)

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(V)
    you cast them down to ruin.(W)
19 How suddenly(X) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away(Y) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(Z) when one awakes;(AA)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.(AB)

21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(AC) and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast(AD) before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.(AE)
24 You guide(AF) me with your counsel,(AG)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(AH)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(AI)
26 My flesh and my heart(AJ) may fail,(AK)
    but God is the strength(AL) of my heart
    and my portion(AM) forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;(AN)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful(AO) to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.(AP)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;(AQ)
    I will tell of all your deeds.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.