Psalm 73:1-13

New International Version

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

¹Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.^(A)

²But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;^(B)
I had nearly lost my foothold.^(C)
³For I envied^(D) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^(E)

⁴They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
⁵They are free^(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶Therefore pride^(G) is their necklace;^(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.^(I)
⁷From their callous hearts^(J) comes iniquity^[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸They scoff, and speak with malice;^(K)
    with arrogance^(L) they threaten oppression.^(M)
⁹Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
¹¹They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

¹²This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care,^(N) they go on amassing wealth.^(O)

¹³Surely in vain^(P) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.^(Q)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Daniel 8:12-25

New International Version

¹²Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people^[a] and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.^(A)

¹³Then I heard a holy one^(B) speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled^(C)—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot^(D) of the Lord’s people?”

¹⁴He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”^(E)

The Interpretation of the Vision

¹⁵While I, Daniel, was watching the vision^(F) and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.^(G) ¹⁶And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai^(H) calling, “Gabriel,^(I) tell this man the meaning of the vision.”^(J)

¹⁷As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate.^(K) “Son of man,”^[b] he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”^(L)

¹⁸While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.^(M) Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.^(N)

¹⁹He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath,^(O) because the vision concerns the appointed time^(P) of the end.^[c]^(Q) ²⁰The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.^(R) ²¹The shaggy goat is the king of Greece,^(S) and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.^(T) ²²The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

²³“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. ²⁴He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.^(U) ²⁵He will cause deceit^(V) to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes.^(W) Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.^(X)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Daniel 8:12 Or rebellion, the armies
Daniel 8:17 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.
Daniel 8:19 Or because the end will be at the appointed time