Psalm 73:9–15

9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10 Therefore their people turn to them

and drink up waters in abundance.

11 They say, “How would God know?

Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—

always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

and have washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been afflicted,

and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,

I would have betrayed your children.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens,

And their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither:

And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know?

And is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,

Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,

And washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued,

And chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus;

Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

9 They boast against the very heavens,

and their words strut throughout the earth.

10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,

drinking in all their words.

11 “What does God know?” they ask.

“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”

12 Look at these wicked people—

enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?

Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?

14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;

every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,

I would have been a traitor to your people.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens,

And their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here,

And waters of a full cup are drained by them.

11 And they say, “How does God know?

And is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,

Who are always at ease;

They increase in riches.

13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,

And washed my hands in innocence.

14 For all day long I have been plagued,

And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

9 They brag to the sky.

They say that they own the earth.

10 So their people turn to them

and give them whatever they want.

11 They say, “How can God know?

What does God Most High know?”

12 These people are wicked,

always at ease, and getting richer.

13 So why have I kept my heart pure?

Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?

14 I have suffered all day long;

I have been punished every morning.

15 God, if I had decided to talk like this,

I would have let your people down.

9 They have set their mouth in the heavens,

And their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither:

And waters of a full cup are drained by them.

11 And they say, How doth God know?

And is there knowledge in the Most High?

12 Behold, these are the wicked;

And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.

13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart,

And washed my hands in innocency;

14 For all the day long have I been plagued,

And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, I will speak thus;

Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.

9 They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How can •God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High? 12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches. 13 Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency: 14 For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I said, I will speak thus, behold, I should be faithless to the generation of thy children.

9 They verbally attack heaven, 

and they order people around on earth. 

10 That is why God’s people turn to wickedness 

and swallow their words. 

11 Then wicked people ask, “What does God know?” 

“Does the Most High know anything?” 

12 Look how wicked they are! 

They never have a worry. 

They grow more and more wealthy. 

13 I’ve received no reward for keeping my life pure 

and washing my hands of any blame. 

14 I’m plagued ⸤with problems⸥ all day long, 

and every morning my punishment ⸤begins again⸥. 

15 If I had said, “I will continue to talk like that,” 

I would have betrayed God’s people. 

9 They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues strut across the earth.

10 Therefore His people turn to them

and drink in their overflowing words.

11 The wicked say, “How can God know?

Does the Most High know everything?”

12 Look at them—the wicked!

They are always at ease,

and they increase their wealth.

13 Did I purify my heart

and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?

14 For I am afflicted all day long

and punished every morning.

15 If I had decided to say these things aloud,

I would have betrayed Your people.

9 They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues range over the earth.

10 Therefore the people turn and praise them

and find no fault in them.

11 And they say, “How can God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 Such are the wicked;

always at ease, they increase in riches.

13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

14 For all day long I have been plagued

and am punished every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,”

I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens,

and their tongue roams the earth.

10 Therefore his people turn there,

and abundant waters are slurped up by them.

11 And they say, “How does God know?”

and, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”

12 See, these are the wicked,

and they increase wealth, ever carefree.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure,

and washed my hands in innocence.

14 And I have been plagued all day

and rebuked every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

behold, I would have acted treacherously

against your children’s generation.

9 They brag as if they owned heaven itself.

They talk as if they controlled the earth.

10 So people listen to them.

They lap up their words like water.

11 They say, “How can God know what we’re doing?

Does the Most High God really know that much?”

12 Here is what sinful people are like.

They don’t have a care in the world.

They keep getting richer and richer.

13 It seems as if I have kept my heart pure without any reason.

It didn’t do me any good to wash my hands

to show that I wasn’t guilty of doing anything wrong.

14 Day after day I’ve been in pain.

God has punished me every morning.

15 What if I had said, “I will speak as evil people do”?

Then I wouldn’t have been faithful to God’s children.

9 They have set their mouth against the heavens,

And their tongue parades through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return to this place,

And waters of abundance are drunk by them.

11 They say, “How does God know?

And is there knowledge with the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are the wicked;

And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

And washed my hands in innocence;

14 For I have been stricken all day long

And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.