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73 The psalm of Asaph. God of Israel is full good; to them that be of rightful heart. (The song of Asaph. The God of Israel is very good; to those who have an upright heart.)

But my feet were moved almost; my steps were shed out almost. (But my feet almost stumbled; my steps almost slipped.)

For I loved fervently on wicked men; seeing the peace of sinners. (For I envied the wicked; when I saw the prosperity of the sinners.)

For beholding is not to the death of them; and steadfastness in the sickness of them. (For it seemed that they never die; yea, they always be strong, and never get sick.)

They be not in travail of (other) men; and they shall not be beaten with men. (They do not have trouble, or tribulation, like other people do; and they be not beaten down like others be.)

Therefore pride hath held them; they were covered with their wickedness and unfaithfulness.

The wickedness of them came forth as of fatness; they went into desire of heart. (Their wickedness came forth like fatness; and they went forth in the desire of their hearts.)

They thought and spake waywardness; they spake wickedness on high (they spoke wickedness out loud).

They putted their mouth into heaven; and their tongue passed in earth. (They put their mouths against heaven; and their tongues went about over all the earth.)

10 Therefore my people shall be turned again here; and full days shall be found in them. (And so my people followed them; and found nothing to condemn them for.)

11 And they said, How knoweth God; and whether knowing is on high? (And they said, How could God know? how can the Most High have any knowledge of this?)

12 Lo! those sinners and having abundance in the world; (they) held riches.

13 And I said, Therefore without cause I justified mine heart; and washed mine hands among innocents. (And I said, And so I have keep my heart pure, and I have kept my hands clean, all for nothing/all in vain.)

14 And I was beaten all day; and my chastising was in morrowtides. (Yea, all day long I am beaten down; and I am punished every morning.)

15 If I said, I shall tell thus; lo! I [have] reproved the nation of thy sons. (If I had said, I shall talk as they do; lo! I would have brought reproach upon the nation of thy children.)

16 I guessed, that I should know this; (but too much) travail is before me. (I tried to work through all of this; but it was too much for me.)

17 Till I enter into the saintuary of God; and understand in the last things of them. (Until I entered into the sanctuary of God; and there I understood their last things, that is, their end.)

18 Nevertheless for guiles thou hast put to them; thou castedest them down, while they were raised. (For thou shalt put them in slippery places; thou shalt throw them down, after they be raised up.)

19 How be they made into desolation; they failed suddenly, they perished for their wickedness/for their waywardness. (How they shall go into desolation! they shall suddenly fail, and they shall perish for all their wickedness/for all their wayward ways.)

20 As the dream of men that (a)rise; Lord, thou shalt drive their image to nought, in thy city. (Like a dream when one awaketh, and it vanisheth; so, Lord, thou shalt drive them down into nothing/until they completely disappear.)

21 For mine heart is enflamed, and my reins be changed; (When my heart was enflamed, and my feelings were hurt;)

22 and I am driven to nought, and I knew not. As a work beast I am made with thee; (and I was driven down into nothing, and I knew nothing; yea, I was made like a work beast before thee;)

23 and I am ever with thee. Thou heldest my right hand, (but still I am ever with thee. Thou holdest my right hand,)

24 and in thy will thou leddest me forth; and with glory thou tookest me up. (and by thy counsel, or thy instruction, thou leadest me forth; and afterward thou shalt receive me with honour.)

25 For why what is to me in heaven; and what would I of thee on earth? (For what is there for me in heaven, but thee? and what else do I desire here on earth, but thee?)

26 My flesh and mine heart failed; God of mine heart, and my part is God [into] without end. (Though my flesh and my heart fail; but God is my strength, and my portion forever.)

27 For lo! they that draw away far themselves from thee shall perish; thou hast lost all men that do fornication from thee. (For lo! they who take themselves far away from thee, shall perish; thou shalt destroy all those who wantonly abandon thee.)

28 But it is good to me to cleave to God; and to set mine hope in the Lord God. That I tell all thy preachings, in the gates of the daughter of Zion. (But it is good for me to cleave to God; and to trust in the Lord God. And that I tell out all thy works, or all of thy deeds.)

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.