Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Psalm 73-74
Close NASB

Psalm 73-74
New American Standard Bible

BOOK 3

The End of the Wicked Contrasted with That of the Righteous.

A Psalm of Asaph.

73 God certainly is (A)good to Israel,
To those who are (B)pure in heart!
2 But as for me, (C)my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps [a]had almost slipped.
3 For I was (D)envious of the [b]arrogant
As I saw the (E)prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their belly is fat.
5 They are (F)not [c]in trouble like other people,
Nor are they (G)tormented together with the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore arrogance is (H)their necklace;
The (I)garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye [d]bulges from (J)fatness;
The imaginations of their heart overflow.
8 They (K)mock and [e]wickedly speak of oppression;
They (L)speak from on high.
9 They have (M)set their mouth [f]against the heavens,
And their tongue [g]parades through the earth.

10 Therefore [h]his people return here,
And (N)abundant waters are drunk by them.
11 They say, “(O)How does God know?
And is there knowledge [i]with the Most High?”
12 Behold, (P)these are the wicked;
And always (Q)at ease, they have increased in wealth.
13 Surely (R)in vain I have [j]kept my heart pure
And (S)washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I have been stricken (T)all day long,
And [k](U)punished every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak this way,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the (V)generation of Your children.
16 When I (W)thought of understanding this,
It was [l]troublesome in my sight
17 Until I entered the [m](X)sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their (Y)end.
18 You indeed put them on (Z)slippery ground;
You dropped them into [n](AA)ruin.
19 How they are [o](AB)destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by (AC)sudden terrors!
20 Like a (AD)dream when one awakes,
Lord, when (AE)stirred, You will (AF)despise their image.

21 When my (AG)heart was embittered
And I was (AH)pierced [p]within,
22 Then I was (AI)stupid and ignorant;
I was like an (AJ)animal [q]before You.
23 Nevertheless (AK)I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 You will (AL)guide me with Your plan,
And afterward (AM)receive me [r]to glory.

25 (AN)Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
26 My (AO)flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the [s]strength of my heart and my (AP)portion forever.
27 For, behold, (AQ)those who are far from You will (AR)perish;
You have destroyed all those who [t](AS)are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, (AT)the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord [u]God my (AU)refuge,
So that I may (AV)tell of all Your works.

An Appeal against the Devastation of the Land by the Enemy.

A [v]Maskil of Asaph.

74 God, why have You (AW)rejected us forever?
Why does Your anger (AX)smoke against the (AY)sheep of Your [w]pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You (AZ)purchased of old,
Which You have (BA)redeemed to be the (BB)tribe of Your inheritance;
And this Mount (BC)Zion, where You have dwelt.
3 [x]Step toward the [y](BD)irreparable ruins;
The enemy (BE)has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries have (BF)roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
They have set up their (BG)own signs as (BH)signs.
5 It [z]seems like one bringing up
His (BI)axe into a [aa]forest of trees.
6 And now they break down [ab]all its (BJ)carved work
With axe and hammers.
7 They have [ac](BK)burned Your sanctuary [ad]to the ground;
They have (BL)defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8 They (BM)said in their heart, “Let’s [ae]completely [af]subdue them.”
They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our (BN)signs;
There is (BO)no longer any prophet,
Nor is there anyone among us who knows (BP)how long.
10 How long, God, will the enemy (BQ)taunt You?
Shall the enemy (BR)treat Your name disrespectfully forever?
11 Why (BS)do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Extend it from Your chest and (BT)destroy them!

12 Yet God is (BU)my King from long ago,
Who performs acts of salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 [ag]You (BV)divided the sea by Your strength;
[ah]You (BW)broke the heads of the (BX)sea monsters [ai]in the waters.
14 [aj]You crushed the heads of [ak](BY)Leviathan;
You gave him as food for the [al]creatures (BZ)of the wilderness.
15 [am]You (CA)broke open springs and torrents;
[an]You (CB)dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;
[ao]You have (CC)prepared the [ap]light and the sun.
17 [aq]You have (CD)established all the boundaries of the earth;
[ar]You have [as]created (CE)summer and winter.

18 Remember this, [at]Lord, that the enemy has (CF)taunted You,
And a (CG)foolish people has treated Your name disrespectfully.
19 Do not give the soul of Your (CH)turtledove to the wild animal;
(CI)Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.
20 Consider the (CJ)covenant;
For the (CK)dark places of the land are full of the places of violence.
21 May the (CL)oppressed person not return dishonored;
May the (CM)afflicted and the needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, God, and (CN)plead Your own cause;
Remember [au]how the (CO)foolish person taunts You all day long.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your (CP)adversaries,
The (CQ)uproar of those who rise against You, which ascends continually.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:2 Lit were caused to slip
  2. Psalm 73:3 Or boasters
  3. Psalm 73:5 Lit in the trouble of people
  4. Psalm 73:7 Lit goes forth
  5. Psalm 73:8 Or they speak in wickedness; From on high they speak of oppression
  6. Psalm 73:9 Or in
  7. Psalm 73:9 Lit walks
  8. Psalm 73:10 Or His
  9. Psalm 73:11 Lit in
  10. Psalm 73:13 Or cleansed my heart
  11. Psalm 73:14 Lit my punishment
  12. Psalm 73:16 Lit labor, trouble
  13. Psalm 73:17 Lit sanctuaries
  14. Psalm 73:18 Or deception
  15. Psalm 73:19 Lit become a desolation
  16. Psalm 73:21 Lit in my kidneys
  17. Psalm 73:22 Lit with You
  18. Psalm 73:24 Or with honor
  19. Psalm 73:26 Lit rock
  20. Psalm 73:27 Lit go to a whoring from
  21. Psalm 73:28 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  22. Psalm 74 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  23. Psalm 74:1 Or pasturing
  24. Psalm 74:3 Lit Lift Your footsteps
  25. Psalm 74:3 Lit ruins ruined for all time
  26. Psalm 74:5 Lit is known as
  27. Psalm 74:5 Lit thicket
  28. Psalm 74:6 Lit altogether
  29. Psalm 74:7 Lit set on fire
  30. Psalm 74:7 Or To the ground they...
  31. Psalm 74:8 Lit altogether
  32. Psalm 74:8 Or oppress
  33. Psalm 74:13 Or You Yourself
  34. Psalm 74:13 Or You Yourself
  35. Psalm 74:13 Lit on
  36. Psalm 74:14 Or You Yourself
  37. Psalm 74:14 Or sea monster
  38. Psalm 74:14 Lit people
  39. Psalm 74:15 Or You Yourself
  40. Psalm 74:15 Or You Yourself
  41. Psalm 74:16 Or You Yourself
  42. Psalm 74:16 Or luminary
  43. Psalm 74:17 Or You Yourself
  44. Psalm 74:17 Or You Yourself
  45. Psalm 74:17 Or formed
  46. Psalm 74:18 Or that the enemy has taunted the Lord
  47. Psalm 74:22 Lit Your reproach from the foolish man
Listen to Psalm 73-74
Close NIV

Psalm 73-74
New International Version

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

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

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

4 They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride(G) is their necklace;(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.(I)
7 From their callous hearts(J) comes iniquity[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;(K)
    with arrogance(L) they threaten oppression.(M)
9 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.

1 O God, why have you rejected(AS) us forever?(AT)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(AU)
2 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)
3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(BB)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

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

9 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
Next
Psalm 72
Psalm 75
Next
dropdown
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV