Psalm 73

World English Bible

73 Surely God^[a] is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet were almost gone.
    My steps had nearly slipped.
³ For I was envious of the arrogant,
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
⁴ For there are no struggles in their death,
    but their strength is firm.
⁵ They are free from burdens of men,
    neither are they plagued like other men.
⁶ Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck.
    Violence covers them like a garment.
⁷ Their eyes bulge with fat.
    Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
⁸ They scoff and speak with malice.
    In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
⁹ They have set their mouth in the heavens.
    Their tongue walks through the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people return to them,
    and they drink up waters of abundance.
¹¹ They say, “How does God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
¹² Behold, these are the wicked.
    Being 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 punished every morning.
¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus”;
    behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand this,
    it was too painful for me,
¹⁷ until I entered God’s sanctuary,
    and considered their latter end.
¹⁸ Surely you set them in slippery places.
    You throw them down to destruction.
¹⁹ How they are suddenly destroyed!
    They are completely swept away with terrors.
²⁰ As a dream when one wakes up,
    so, Lord,^[b] when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
²¹ For my soul was grieved.
    I was embittered in my heart.
²² I was so senseless and ignorant.
    I was a brute beast before you.
²³ Nevertheless, I am continually with you.
    You have held my right hand.
²⁴ You will guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward receive me to glory.
²⁵ Whom do I have in heaven?
    There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart fails,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
²⁷ For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish.
    You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But it is good for me to come close to God.
    I have made the Lord Yahweh^[c] my refuge,
    that I may tell of all your works.