Psalms 73
73
God’s Justice
Asaph’s psalm # 73 Asaph was one of three Levites that David set over the worship of Yahweh. However, it is possible that Asaph was an office not an individual—Asaphites who were part of a prophetic company of composers. The name Asaph means “a harvest” or “fulfilled prophecy.” Asaph possibly comes from a Semitic root word for “portal.” Perhaps the Asaphites were named such because their music opened a portal into the heavenly realm.
1No one can deny it—God is really good to Israel
and to all those with pure hearts.
But I nearly missed seeing it for myself.
2Here’s my story: I narrowly missed losing it all.
3I was stumbling over what I saw the wicked doing.
For when I saw the boasters with such wealth and prosperity,
I became jealous over their smug security.
4-5Indulging in whatever they wanted, going where they wanted,
doing what they wanted, and with no care in the world,
no pain, no problems—they seemed to have it made.
They lived as though life would never end.
6They didn’t even try to hide their pride and opulence.
Cruelty and violence are parts of their lifestyle.
7Pampered and pompous, vice oozes from their souls;
they overflow with vanity.
8They’re such snobs—looking down their noses.
They even scoff at God!
They are nothing but bullies threatening God’s people.
9They are loudmouths with no fear of God, pretending to know it all—
windbags full of hot air, impressing only themselves.
10Yet the people keep coming back to listen
to more of their nonsense.
11They tell their cohorts, “God will never know.
See, he has no clue of what we’re doing.”
12These are the wicked ones I’m talking about!
They never have to lift a finger,
living a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13Have I been foolish to play by the rules and keep my life pure?
14Here I am suffering under your discipline day after day.
I feel like I’m being punished all day long.
15If I had given in to my pain and spoken of what I was really feeling,
it would have sounded like unfaithfulness to the next generation.
16When I tried to understand it all, I just couldn’t.
It was too puzzling—too much of a riddle to me.
17But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God,
and in the light of glory, my distorted perspective vanished.
Then I understood that the destiny of the wicked was near!
18They’re the ones who are on the slippery path,
and God will suddenly let them slide off into destruction
to be consumed with terrors forever!
19It will be an instant end to all their life of ease;
a blink of the eye and they’re swept away by sudden calamity!
They’re all nothing more than momentary monarchs—
20soon to disappear like a dream when one awakes.
When the rooster crows,
Lord God, you’ll despise their life of fantasies. # 73:20 Or “shadows.”
21When I saw all of this, what turmoil filled my heart,
piercing my opinions with your truth.
22I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant,
acting like a brute beast before you, Lord.
23Yet, in spite of all this, I still belong to you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24You lead me with your secret wisdom.
And following you brings me into your brightness and glory!
25Whom have I in heaven but you? You’re all I want!
No one on earth means as much to me as you.
26Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace.
But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence
protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need!
27Those who abandon the worship of God will perish.
The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never heard from again.
28But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh,
for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of
your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!
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Psalms 73: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalm 73
73
1 The understanding of Asaph. O God, why have you rejected us to the end. Why has your fury become enraged over the sheep of your pasture?
2 Be mindful of your congregation, which you have possessed from the beginning. You redeemed the scepter of your inheritance, mount Zion, in which you have dwelt.
3 Lift up your hands against their arrogance in the end. How great the malice of the enemy has been in the sanctuary!
4 And those who hate you have been glorified, in the midst of your solemnity. They have set up their own signs as a proof,
5 as if it had been issued from on high; yet they did not understand. As in a forest of chopped wood,
6 they have cut down the entrances themselves. With axe and hatchet, they have brought it down.
7 They have set fire to your Sanctuary. They have polluted the tabernacle of your name on earth.
8 They have said in their heart, the whole group of them together: "Let us cause all the feast days of God to cease from the land.
9 We have not seen our proof; there is now no prophet. And he will no longer know us."
10 How long, O God, will the enemy place blame? Is the adversary to provoke your name until the end?
11 Why do you turn your hand away, even your right hand, from the midst of your sinews, until the end?
12 But God is our king before all ages. He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 In your virtue, you confirmed the sea. You crushed the heads of the serpents in the waters.
14 You have broken the heads of the serpent. You have given him as food for the people of the Ethiopians.
15 You have disrupted the fountains and the torrents. You have dried up the rivers of Ethan.
16 Yours is the day, and yours is the night. You have made the morning light and the sun.
17 You have made all the limits of the earth. The summer and the spring were formed by you.
18 Be mindful of this: the enemy placed blame against the Lord, and a foolish people has incited against your name.
19 Do not hand over to beasts the souls that confess to you; and do not forget the souls of your poor until the end.
20 Consider your covenant. For those who have been darkened upon the earth have been filled by the iniquity of the houses.
21 Do not allow the humble to be turned away in confusion. The poor and the needy will praise your name.
22 Rise up, O God, judge your own case. Call to mind the accusations against you, which are made by the foolish all day long.
23 Do not forget the voices of your adversaries. The arrogance of those who hate you rises up continually.
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