Psalms 73

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

1 TrulyGod is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure heart.

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

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

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.

2 But 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;

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

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

3 For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.

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

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

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

4 For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;

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

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

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

5 They have not the hardships of mankind, 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.

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

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

6 Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-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.

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

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

7 Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:

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

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

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

8 They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.

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

11And they say, How doth God know? and 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?

11 And they say, How canGod 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?

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

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

12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.

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

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

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

13 Truly have I purified 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 If I said, I will speak thus, behold, I should be faithless to 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.

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

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

16 When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;

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

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

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

17 Until I went into the sanctuaries ofGod; [then] understood I their end.

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

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

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

18 Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.

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

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

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

19 How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed with terrors.

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

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

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

20 As a dream, when one awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising 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.

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

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

21 When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,

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

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

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

22 Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.

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

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

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

23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand;

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

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

24(not in this translation)

24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.

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

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

25(not in this translation)

25 Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.

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

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

26(not in this translation)

26 My flesh and my heart faileth:God is the rock 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.

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

27(not in this translation)

27 For behold, they that are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth 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.

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.

28(not in this translation)

28 But as for me, it is good for me to draw near toGod: I have put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, 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.