Psalms 73

1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

1Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean in heart.

1Understanding for Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?

2But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

2But as for me, my feet had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping;

2Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. The sceptre of thy inheritance which thou hast redeemed: mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt.

3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

3Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.

3Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

4For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.

4And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,

5They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

5They are not in trouble as others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men.

5And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,

6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

6For this reason pride is round them like a chain; they are clothed with violent behaviour as with a robe.

6They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.

7Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

7Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire.

7They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.

8They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

8Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts.

8They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.

9They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

9Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.

9Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.

10Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

10For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them.

10How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?

11And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

11And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?

11Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?

12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

12Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.

12But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

13Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

13As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness;

13Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

14For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment.

14Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.

15If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

15If I would make clear what it is like, I would say, You are false to the generation of your children.

15Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.

16When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

16When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes;

16Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.

17Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

17Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers.

17Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.

18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

18You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.

18Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.

19How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

19How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction.

19Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.

20As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

20As a dream when one is awake, they are ended; they are like an image gone out of mind when sleep is over.

20Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.

21Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

21My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief:

21Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.

22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

22As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you.

22Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.

23Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

23But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand.

23Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.

24Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

24Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour.

24(not in this translation)

25Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

25Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth.

25(not in this translation)

26My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

26My flesh and my heart are wasting away: but God is the Rock of my heart and my eternal heritage.

26(not in this translation)

27For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

27For those who are far away from you will come to destruction: you will put an end to all those who have not kept faith with you.

27(not in this translation)

28But 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.

28But it is good for me to come near to God: I have put my faith in the Lord God, so that I may make clear all his works.

28(not in this translation)