Psalm 73:12–20

Behold, these are the wicked;

always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

For all the day long I have been stricken

and rebuked every morning.

If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

But when I thought how to understand this,

it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God;

then I discerned their end.

Truly you set them in slippery places;

you make them fall to ruin.

How they are destroyed in a moment,

swept away utterly by terrors!

Like a dream when one awakes,

O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

This is what the wicked are like—

always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

and have washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I have been afflicted,

and every morning brings new punishments.

If I had spoken out like that,

I would have betrayed your children.

When I tried to understand all this,

it troubled me deeply

till I entered the sanctuary of God;

then I understood their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground;

you cast them down to ruin.

How suddenly are they destroyed,

completely swept away by terrors!

They are like a dream when one awakes;

when you arise, Lord,

you will despise them as fantasies.

Look at them—the wicked!

They are always at ease,

and they increase their wealth.

Did I purify my heart

and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?

For I am afflicted all day long

and punished every morning.

If I had decided to say these things aloud,

I would have betrayed your people.

When I tried to understand all this,

it seemed hopeless

until I entered God’s sanctuary.

Then I understood their destiny.

Indeed, you put them in slippery places;

you make them fall into ruin.

How suddenly they become a desolation!

They come to an end, swept away by terrors.

Like one waking from a dream,

Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.

Look at these wicked people—

enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?

Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?

I get nothing but trouble all day long;

every morning brings me pain.

If I had really spoken this way to others,

I would have been a traitor to your people.

So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.

But what a difficult task it is!

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,

and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

Truly, you put them on a slippery path

and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.

In an instant they are destroyed,

completely swept away by terrors.

When you arise, O Lord,

you will laugh at their silly ideas

as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

See, these are the wicked,

and they increase wealth, ever carefree.

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure,

and washed my hands in innocence.

And I have been plagued all day

and rebuked every morning.

If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

behold, I would have acted treacherously

against your children’s generation.

When I thought about how to understand this,

it was troubling in my eyes

until I went into the sanctuary of God.

Then I understood their fate.

Surely you set them on slippery places.

You cause them to fall onto ruin.

How they become a desolation in a moment!

They come to a complete end by terrors.

Like a dream upon awakening,

when you wake up, O Lord,

you will despise their fleeting form.

Behold, these are the ungodly,

Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,

And washed my hands in innocency.

For all the day long have I been plagued,

And chastened every morning.

If I say, I will speak thus;

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

When I thought to know this,

It was too painful for me;

Until I went into the sanctuary of God;

Then understood I their end.

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places:

Thou castedst them down into destruction.

How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!

They are utterly consumed with terrors.

As a dream when one awaketh;

So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.