Psalm 72–73

Psalm 72

A PRAYER FOR THE KING

Of Solomon.^j

¹God, give your justice to the king

and your righteousness to the king’s son.^k

²He will judge your people with righteousness

and your afflicted ones with justice.^l

³May the mountains bring well-being to the people

and the hills, righteousness.^m

⁴May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,

help the poor,

and crush the oppressor.ⁿ

⁵May they fear you^B while the sun endures

and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.^o

⁶May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,

like spring showers that water the earth.^p

⁷May the righteous^C flourish in his days

and well-being abound

until the moon is no more.^q

⁸May he rule from sea to sea

and from the Euphrates

to the ends of the earth.^r

⁹May desert tribes kneel before him

and his enemies lick the dust.^s

¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish

and the coasts and islands bring tribute,

the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.^t

¹¹Let all kings bow in homage to him,

all nations serve him.^u

¹²For he will rescue the poor who cry out

and the afflicted who have no helper.^v

¹³He will have pity on the poor and helpless

and save the lives of the poor.^w

¹⁴He will redeem them from oppression and violence,

for their lives are^A precious^B in his sight.^x

¹⁵May he live long!

May gold from Sheba be given to him.

May prayer be offered for him continually,

and may he be blessed all day long.^y

¹⁶May there be plenty of grain in the land;

may it wave on the tops of the mountains.

May its crops be like Lebanon.

May people flourish in the cities

like the grass of the field.^z

¹⁷May his name endure forever;

as long as the sun shines,

may his fame increase.

May all nations be blessed by him

and call him blessed.^aa

¹⁸Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,

who alone does wonders.^ab

¹⁹Blessed be his glorious name forever;

the whole earth is filled with his glory.^ac

Amen and amen.

²⁰The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.^ad

BOOK III

(Psalms 73–89)

Psalm 73

GOD’S WAYS VINDICATED

A psalm of Asaph.^a

¹God is indeed good to Israel,

to the pure in heart.^b

²But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my steps nearly went astray.^c

³For I envied the arrogant;

I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^d

⁴They have an easy time until they die,^C

and their bodies are well fed.^De

⁵They are not in trouble like others;

they are not afflicted like most people.^f

⁶Therefore, pride is their necklace,

and violence covers them like a garment.^g

⁷Their eyes bulge out from fatness;

the imaginations of their hearts run wild.^h

⁸They mock, and they speak maliciously;

they arrogantly threaten oppression.ⁱ

⁹They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues strut across the earth.^j

¹⁰Therefore his people turn to them^A

and drink in their overflowing words.^Bk

¹¹The wicked say, “How can God know?

Does the Most High know everything?”^l

¹²Look at them—the wicked!

They are always at ease,

and they increase their wealth.^m

¹³Did I purify my heart

and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?ⁿ

¹⁴For I am afflicted all day long

and punished every morning.^o

¹⁵If I had decided to say these things aloud,

I would have betrayed your people.^Cp

¹⁶When I tried to understand all this,

it seemed hopeless^Dq

¹⁷until I entered God’s sanctuary.

Then I understood their destiny.^r

¹⁸Indeed, you put them in slippery places;

you make them fall into ruin.^s

¹⁹How suddenly they become a desolation!

They come to an end, swept away by terrors.^t

²⁰Like one waking from a dream,

Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.^u

²¹When I became embittered

and my innermost being^E was wounded,^v

²²I was stupid and didn’t understand;

I was an unthinking animal toward you.^w

²³Yet I am always with you;

you hold my right hand.^x

²⁴You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me up in glory.^Fy

²⁵Who do I have in heaven but you?

And I desire nothing on earth but you.^z

²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength^G of my heart,

my portion forever.^aa

²⁷Those far from you will certainly perish;

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.^ab

²⁸But as for me, God’s presence is my good.

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

so I can tell about all you do.^ac