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.

Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause

A Maskil[c] of (AR)Asaph.

74 O God, why do you (AS)cast us off forever?
    Why does your anger (AT)smoke against (AU)the sheep of your pasture?
(AV)Remember your congregation, which you have (AW)purchased of old,
    which you have (AX)redeemed to be (AY)the tribe of your heritage!
    Remember Mount Zion, (AZ)where you have dwelt.
Direct your steps to (BA)the perpetual ruins;
    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

Your foes have (BB)roared in the midst of your meeting place;
    (BC)they set up their (BD)own signs for (BE)signs.
They were like those who swing (BF)axes
    in a forest of trees.[d]
And all its (BG)carved wood
    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
They (BH)set your sanctuary on fire;
    they (BI)profaned (BJ)the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground.
They (BK)said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our (BL)signs;
    (BM)there is no longer any prophet,
    and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, (BN)is the foe to scoff?
    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why (BO)do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
    Take it from the fold of your garment[e] and destroy them!

12 Yet (BP)God my King is from of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You (BQ)divided the sea by your might;
    you (BR)broke the heads of (BS)the sea monsters[f] on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of (BT)Leviathan;
    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You (BU)split open springs and brooks;
    you (BV)dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;
    you have established (BW)the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have (BX)fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
    you have made (BY)summer and winter.

18 (BZ)Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs,
    and (CA)a foolish people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your (CB)dove to the wild beasts;
    (CC)do not forget the life of your poor forever.

20 Have regard for (CD)the covenant,
    for (CE)the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not (CF)the downtrodden (CG)turn back in shame;
    let (CH)the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, (CI)defend your cause;
    (CJ)remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
    (CK)the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
  2. Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock
  3. Psalm 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  4. Psalm 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Psalm 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom
  6. Psalm 74:13 Or the great sea creatures

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

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

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

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

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

13 Surely in vain(P) I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.(Q)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(R)
    and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(S) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(T) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.(U)

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(V)
    you cast them down to ruin.(W)
19 How suddenly(X) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away(Y) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(Z) when one awakes;(AA)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.(AB)

21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(AC) and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast(AD) before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.(AE)
24 You guide(AF) me with your counsel,(AG)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(AH)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(AI)
26 My flesh and my heart(AJ) may fail,(AK)
    but God is the strength(AL) of my heart
    and my portion(AM) forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;(AN)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful(AO) to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.(AP)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;(AQ)
    I will tell of all your deeds.(AR)

Psalm 74

A maskil[d] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected(AS) us forever?(AT)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(AU)
Remember the nation you purchased(AV) long ago,(AW)
    the people of your inheritance,(AX) whom you redeemed(AY)
    Mount Zion,(AZ) where you dwelt.(BA)
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(BB)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared(BC) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards(BD) as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.(BE)
They smashed all the carved(BF) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled(BG) the dwelling place(BH) of your Name.(BI)
They said in their hearts, “We will crush(BJ) them completely!”
    They burned(BK) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

We are given no signs from God;(BL)
    no prophets(BM) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(BN) will the enemy mock(BO) you, God?
    Will the foe revile(BP) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(BQ)
    Take it from the folds of your garment(BR) and destroy them!

12 But God is my King(BS) from long ago;
    he brings salvation(BT) on the earth.

13 It was you who split open the sea(BU) by your power;
    you broke the heads of the monster(BV) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(BW)
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(BX)
15 It was you who opened up springs(BY) and streams;
    you dried up(BZ) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.(CA)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(CB) of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter.(CC)

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
    how foolish people(CD) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(CE) to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted(CF) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(CG)
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places(CH) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(CI) retreat in disgrace;
    may the poor and needy(CJ) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(CK) O God, and defend your cause;
    remember how fools(CL) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(CM) of your adversaries,(CN)
    the uproar(CO) of your enemies,(CP) which rises continually.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  4. Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

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.

74 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

Peace with God Through Faith

(A)Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, (B)we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also (C)obtained access by faith[b] into this grace (D)in which we stand, and (E)we[c] rejoice[d] in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we (F)rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering (G)produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and (H)hope does not put us to shame, because God's love (I)has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For (J)while we were still weak, at the right time (K)Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but (L)God shows his love for us in that (M)while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, (N)we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from (O)the wrath of God. 10 For if (P)while we were enemies (Q)we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by (R)his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received (S)reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 Therefore, just as (T)sin came into the world through one man, and (U)death through sin, and (V)so death spread to all men[e] because (W)all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but (X)sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not (Y)like the transgression of Adam, (Z)who was a type of (AA)the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for (AB)many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For (AC)the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought (AD)justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness (AE)reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass[f] led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness[g] leads to justification and life for (AF)all men. 19 For as by the one man's (AG)disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's (AH)obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now (AI)the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, (AJ)grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, (AK)as sin reigned in death, (AL)grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 5:1 Some manuscripts let us
  2. Romans 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith
  3. Romans 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3
  4. Romans 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11
  5. Romans 5:12 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women; also twice in verse 18
  6. Romans 5:18 Or the trespass of one
  7. Romans 5:18 Or the act of righteousness of one

Peace and Hope

Therefore, since we have been justified(A) through faith,(B) we[a] have peace(C) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,(D) through whom we have gained access(E) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.(F) And we[b] boast in the hope(G) of the glory of God. Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings,(H) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;(I) perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope(J) does not put us to shame, because God’s love(K) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,(L) who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time,(M) when we were still powerless,(N) Christ died for the ungodly.(O) Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(P)

Since we have now been justified(Q) by his blood,(R) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath(S) through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies,(T) we were reconciled(U) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!(V) 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.(W)

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,(X) and death through sin,(Y) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned(Z)

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.(AA) 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,(AB) who is a pattern of the one to come.(AC)

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,(AD) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,(AE) overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death(AF) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life(AG) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,(AH) so also one righteous act resulted in justification(AI) and life(AJ) for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man(AK) the many were made sinners,(AL) so also through the obedience(AM) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.(AN) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,(AO) 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death,(AP) so also grace(AQ) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life(AR) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 5:1 Many manuscripts let us
  2. Romans 5:2 Or let us
  3. Romans 5:3 Or let us

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.