Psalm 73
English Standard Version
Book Three
God Is My Strength and Portion Forever
A Psalm of (A)Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to (B)Israel,
to those who are (C)pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 (D)For I was (E)envious of the arrogant
when I saw the (F)prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not (G)stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is (H)their necklace;
violence covers them as (I)a garment.
7 Their (J)eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and (K)speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find (L)no fault in them.[a]
11 And they say, (M)“How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they (N)increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I (O)kept my heart clean
and (P)washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been (Q)stricken
and (R)rebuked (S)every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed (T)the generation of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me (U)a wearisome task,
17 until I went into (V)the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their (W)end.
18 Truly you set them in (X)slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed (Y)in a moment,
swept away utterly by (Z)terrors!
20 Like (AA)a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when (AB)you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was (AC)brutish and ignorant;
I was like (AD)a beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you (AE)hold my right hand.
24 You (AF)guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will (AG)receive me to glory.
25 (AH)Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 (AI)My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is (AJ)the strength[b] of my heart and my (AK)portion (AL)forever.
27 For behold, those who are (AM)far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is (AN)unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to (AO)be near God;
I have made the Lord God my (AP)refuge,
that I may (AQ)tell of all your works.
Footnotes
- Psalm 73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
- Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock
Psalm 73
Revised Geneva Translation
73 Truly, God is good to Israel, to the pure in heart!
2 As for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had very nearly slipped.
3 For I envied the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death; but they are lusty and strong.
5 They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore, pride is as a necklace to them, and cruelty covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with fatness. They have more than heart can wish.
8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression. They talk presumptuously.
9 They set their mouth against Heaven, and their tongue walks through the Earth.
10 Therefore, his people return here; for waters of abundance are drained by them,
11 and they say, “How does God know it?” or “Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Lo, these are the wicked; yet they always prosper and increase in riches.
13 Certainly, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For I have been punished daily and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, “I will judge like this,” behold, I have trespassed the generation of Your children.
16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me,
17 Then I went into the Sanctuary of God, and I understood their end.
18 Surely, You have set them in slippery places, and cast them down into desolation.
19 How suddenly they are destroyed, ended and horribly consumed,
20 As a dream when one awakes, O LORD, shall You make their image despised when You raise us up.
21 Certainly, my heart was grieved; and I was pricked in my core.
22 So foolish was I and ignorant! I was a beast before You!
23 Yet, I was always with You. You have held my right hand.
24 You will guide me by Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom do I have in Heaven but You? And, I have desired nothing on the Earth besides You.
26 My flesh fails and my heart also. God is the strength of my heart and my portion, forever.
27 For lo, those who withdraw themselves from You shall perish. You destroy all those who are unfaithful to You.
28 As for me, it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the LORD God, so that I may declare all Your works. A Psalm to give instruction, committed to Asaph
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