73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

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.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
(D)For I was (E)envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the (F)prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not (G)stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is (H)their necklace;
    violence covers them as (I)a garment.
Their (J)eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and (K)speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
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

  1. Psalm 73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
  2. Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock

CARTEA A TREIA

Psalmul 73

Un psalm al lui Asaf

Da, bun este Dumnezeu cu Israel,
cu cei cu inima curată!
Totuşi era să mi se îndoaie piciorul
şi era să-mi alunece paşii!
Căci(A) mă uitam cu jind la cei nesocotiţi
când vedeam fericirea celor răi.
Într-adevăr, nimic nu-i tulbură până la moarte
şi trupul le este încărcat de grăsime.
N-au(B) parte de suferinţele omeneşti
şi nu sunt loviţi ca ceilalţi oameni.
De aceea, mândria le slujeşte ca salbă
şi asuprirea este haina care-i(C) înveleşte.
Li se bulbucă ochii(D) de grăsime
şi au mai mult decât le-ar dori inima.
Râd(E) şi vorbesc(F) cu răutate de asuprire:
vorbesc(G) de sus,
îşi înalţă gura(H) până la ceruri
şi limba le cutreieră pământul.
10 De aceea, aleargă lumea la ei,
înghite(I) apă din plin,
11 şi zice: „Ce(J) ar putea să ştie Dumnezeu
şi ce ar putea să cunoască Cel Preaînalt?”
12 Aşa sunt cei răi:
totdeauna fericiţi(K) şi îşi măresc bogăţiile.
13 Degeaba(L) dar mi-am curăţit eu inima
şi mi-am(M) spălat mâinile în nevinovăţie,
14 căci în fiecare zi sunt lovit
şi în toate dimineţile sunt pedepsit.
15 Dacă aş zice: „Vreau să vorbesc ca ei”,
iată că n-aş fi credincios neamului copiilor Tăi.
16 M-am(N) gândit la aceste lucruri ca să le pricep,
dar zadarnică mi-a fost truda,
17 până ce am(O) intrat în Sfântul Locaş al lui Dumnezeu
şi am luat seama la soarta(P) de la urmă a celor răi.
18 Da, Tu-i pui(Q) în locuri alunecoase
şi-i arunci în prăpăd.
19 Cum sunt nimiciţi într-o clipă!
Sunt pierduţi, prăpădiţi printr-un sfârşit năpraznic.
20 Ca(R) un vis la deşteptare,
aşa le lepezi chipul, Doamne, la(S) deşteptarea Ta!
21 Când mi se(T) amăra inima
şi mă simţeam străpuns în măruntaie,
22 eram prost(U) şi fără judecată,
eram ca un dobitoc înaintea Ta.
23 Însă eu sunt totdeauna cu Tine,
Tu m-ai apucat de mâna dreaptă;
24 mă vei călăuzi(V) cu sfatul Tău,
apoi mă vei primi în slavă.
25 Pe(W) cine altul am eu în cer afară de Tine?
Şi pe pământ nu-mi găsesc plăcerea în nimeni decât în Tine.
26 Carnea(X) şi inima pot să mi se prăpădească,
fiindcă Dumnezeu va fi pururea stânca inimii mele şi partea(Y) mea de moştenire.
27 Căci iată că cei ce(Z) se depărtează de Tine pier;
Tu nimiceşti pe toţi cei ce-Ţi sunt necredincioşi(AA).
28 Cât pentru mine, fericirea mea este să mă apropii(AB) de Dumnezeu:
pe Domnul, Dumnezeu, Îl fac locul meu de adăpost,
ca să povestesc toate lucrările Tale.

Book Three

God Is My Strength and Portion For Ever

A Psalm of (A)Asaph.

73 Truly God is good to (B)Israel,
    to those who are (C)pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
(D)For I was (E)envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the (F)prosperity of the wicked.
For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not (G)stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is (H)their necklace;
    violence covers them as (I)a garment.
Their (J)eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and (K)speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
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 towards you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you (AE)hold my right hand.
24 You (AF)guide me with your counsel,
    and afterwards 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)for ever.
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

  1. Psalm 73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
  2. Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock