Psalm 73

Psalm 73

A psalm by Asaph. 

¹God is truly good to Israel, 

to those whose lives are pure. 

²But my feet had almost stumbled. 

They had almost slipped 

³because I was envious of arrogant people 

when I saw the prosperity that wicked people enjoy. 

⁴They suffer no pain. 

Their bodies are healthy. 

⁵They have no drudgery in their lives like ordinary people. 

They are not plagued ⸤with problems⸥ like others. 

⁶That is why they wear arrogance like a necklace 

and acts of violence like clothing. 

⁷Their eyes peer out from their fat faces, 

and their imaginations run wild. 

⁸They ridicule. 

They speak maliciously. 

They speak arrogantly about oppression. 

⁹They verbally attack heaven, 

and they order people around on earth. 

¹⁰That is why God’s people turn to wickedness 

and swallow their words. 

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

“Does the Most High know anything?” 

¹²Look how wicked they are! 

They never have a worry. 

They grow more and more wealthy. 

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

and washing my hands of any blame. 

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

and every morning my punishment ⸤begins again⸥. 

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

I would have betrayed God’s people. 

¹⁶But when I tried to understand this, 

it was too difficult for me. 

¹⁷Only when I came into God’s holy place 

did I ⸤finally⸥ understand what would happen to them. 

¹⁸You put them in slippery places 

and make them fall into ruin. 

¹⁹They are suddenly destroyed. 

They are completely swept away by terror! 

²⁰As ⸤someone⸥ gets rid of a dream when he wakes up, 

so you, O Lord, get rid of the thought of them 

when you wake up. 

²¹When my heart was filled with bitterness 

and my mind was seized ⸤with envy⸥, 

²²I was stupid, and I did not understand. 

I was like a dumb animal in your presence. 

²³Yet, I am always with you. 

You hold on to my right hand. 

²⁴With your advice you guide me, 

and in the end you will take me to glory. 

²⁵As long as I have you, 

I don’t need anyone else in heaven or on earth. 

²⁶My body and mind may waste away, 

but God remains the foundation of my life 

and my inheritance forever. 

²⁷Without a doubt, those who are far from you will die. 

You destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 

²⁸Being united with God is my highest good. 

I have made the Almighty Lord my refuge 

so that I may report everything that he has done.