Psalms 73
73
PSALM 73
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
A Psalm of Asaph.
1Yet God is good to Israel,
to each pure-hearted one.
2But as for me, my steps near slipp'd,
my feet were almost gone.
3For I envious was, and grudg'd
the foolish folk to see,
When I perceiv'd the wicked sort
enjoy prosperity.
4For still their strength continueth firm;
their death of bands is free.
5They are not toil'd like other men,
nor plagu'd, as others be.
6Therefore their pride, like to a chain,
them compasseth about;
And, as a garment, violence
doth cover them throughout.
7Their eyes stand out with fat; they have
more than their hearts could wish.
8They are corrupt; their talk of wrong
both lewd and lofty is.
9They set their mouth against the heav'ns
in their blasphemous talk;
And their reproaching tongue throughout
the earth at large doth walk.
10His people oftentimes for this
look back, and turn about;
Sith waters of so full a cup
to these are poured out.
11And thus they say, How can it be
that God these things doth know?
Or, Can there in the Highest be
knowledge of things below?
12Behold, these are the wicked ones,
yet prosper at their will
In worldly things; they do increase
in wealth and riches still.
13I verily have done in vain
my heart to purify;
To no effect in innocence
washed my hands have I.
14For daily, and all day throughout,
great plagues I suffer'd have;
Yea, ev'ry morning I of new
did chastisement receive.
15If in this manner foolishly
to speak I would intend,
Thy children's generation,
behold, I should offend.
16When I this thought to know, it was
too hard a thing for me;
17Till to God's sanctuary I went,
then I their end did see.
18Assuredly thou didst them set
a slipp'ry place upon;
Them suddenly thou castedst down
into destruction.
19How in a moment suddenly
to ruin brought are they!
With fearful terrors utterly
they are consum'd away.
20Ev'n like unto a dream, when one
from sleeping doth arise;
So thou, O Lord, when thou awak'st,
their image shalt despise.
21Thus grieved was my heart in me,
and me my reins opprest:
22So rude was I, and ignorant,
and in thy sight a beast.
23Nevertheless continually,
O Lord, I am with thee:
Thou dost me hold by my right hand,
and still upholdest me.
24Thou, with thy counsel, while I live,
wilt me conduct and guide;
And to thy glory afterward
receive me to abide.
25Whom have I in the heavens high
but thee, O Lord, alone?
And in the earth whom I desire
besides thee there is none.
26My flesh and heart doth faint and fail,
but God doth fail me never:
For of my heart God is the strength
and portion for ever.
27For, lo, they that are far from thee
for ever perish shall;
Them that a whoring from thee go
thou hast destroyed all.
28But surely it is good for me
that I draw near to God:
In God I trust, that all thy works
I may declare abroad.
Book 3
Psalms 73—89
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalm 73
73
Book III
Psalms 73–89
Psalm 73
A psalm of Asaph.
1God is truly good to Israel.
He is good to those who have pure hearts.
2But my feet had almost slipped.
I had almost tripped and fallen.
3I saw that proud and sinful people were doing well.
And I began to long for what they had.
4They don’t have any troubles.
Their bodies are healthy and strong.
5They don’t have the problems most people have.
They don’t suffer as other people do.
6Their pride is like a necklace.
They put on meanness as if it were their clothes.
7Many sins come out of their hard and stubborn hearts.
There is no limit to the evil things they can think up.
8They laugh at others and speak words of hatred.
They are proud. They warn others about the harm they can do to them.
9They brag as if they owned heaven itself.
They talk as if they controlled the earth.
10So people listen to them.
They lap up their words like water.
11They say, “How would God know what we’re doing?
Does the Most High God know anything?”
12Here is what sinful people are like.
They don’t have a care in the world.
They keep getting richer and richer.
13It seems as if I have kept my heart pure for no reason.
It didn’t do me any good to wash my hands
to show that I wasn’t guilty of doing anything wrong.
14Day after day I’ve been in pain.
God has punished me in a new way every morning.
15What if I had talked like that?
Then I wouldn’t have been faithful to God’s children.
16I tried to understand it all.
But it was more than I could handle.
17It troubled me until I entered God’s temple.
Then I understood what will finally happen to bad people.
18God, I’m sure you will make them slip and fall.
You will throw them down and destroy them.
19It will happen very suddenly.
A terrible death will take them away completely.
20A dream goes away when a person wakes up.
Lord, it will be like that when you rise up.
It will be as if those people were only a dream.
21At one time my heart was sad
and my spirit was bitter.
22I didn’t have any sense. I didn’t know anything.
I acted like a wild animal toward you.
23But I am always with you.
You hold me by my right hand.
24You give me wise advice to guide me.
And when I die, you will take me away
into the glory of heaven.
25I don’t have anyone in heaven but you.
I don’t want anything on earth besides you.
26My body and my heart may grow weak.
God, you give strength to my heart.
You are everything I will ever need.
27Those who don’t want anything to do with you will die.
You destroy all those who aren’t faithful to you.
28But I am close to you. And that’s good.
Lord and King, I have made you my place of safety.
I will talk about everything you have done.
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