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Psalm 73
Expanded Bible

Book 3: Psalms 73–89

Should the Wicked Be Rich?

A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12].

73 ·God is truly [Surely God is] good to ·Israel [or those with integrity/virtue],
    to those who have pure hearts.
2 But ·I had almost stopped believing [L as for me, my feet almost stumbled];
    ·I had almost lost my faith [my steps almost slipped]
3 because I was ·jealous [envious] of ·proud people [braggers; boasters].
    I saw wicked people ·doing well [prospering].

4 They are not ·suffering [struggling; in pain];
    ·they [their bodies] are ·healthy [perfect] and strong.
5 They don’t have ·troubles [toils] like the rest of us;
    they ·don’t have problems [are not plagued] like other people [Gen. 3:17–19].
6 They wear pride like a necklace
    and ·put on violence as their clothing [L adorn themselves with garments of violence].
7 ·They are looking for profits [L Their eyes bulge with fat]
    and ·do not control their selfish desires [cunning overflows from their hearts/minds].
8 They ·make fun of others [scoff] and speak ·evil [harm];
    ·proudly [from high] they speak of ·hurting [oppressing; exploiting] others.
9 They ·brag to the sky [L set their mouth against heaven].
    ·They say that they own [L Their tongue wanders] the earth.
10 So their people turn to them
    and ·give them whatever they want [L they drink up water in abundance].
11 They say, “How can God know?
    What does God Most High know?”
12 These people are wicked,
    always ·at ease [carefree], and getting richer.
13 ·So why have I kept my heart pure [L In vain, I kept my heart pure…]?
    ·Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong [L …and washed my hands in innocence; Matt. 27:24]?
14 I ·have suffered [am plagued] all day long;
    I have been ·punished [corrected] every morning.

15 God, if I had ·decided to talk like this [L said, “I will recount this,”],
    I would have ·let your people down [L betrayed the generation/race of your children].
16 I ·tried [thought how] to understand all this,
    but it was too ·hard [wearisome] ·for me to see [L in my eyes]
17 until I went to the ·Temple [sanctuary; Holy Place] of God.
    Then I understood ·what will happen to them [L their fate/end].
18 You have put them in ·danger [L slippery places];
    you cause them to ·be destroyed [L fall into disaster].
19 They are destroyed in a moment;
    they are swept away by terrors.
20 It will be like waking from a dream.
    Lord, when you ·rise up [awake; arouse yourself], ·they will disappear [L you despise their shadows].

21 When my heart was ·sad [bitter]
    and ·I was angry [L my innards felt stabbed],
22 I was senseless and stupid.
    I acted like an ·animal [brute beast] toward you.
23 But I am always with you [C in covenant relationship];
    you have held my ·hand [L right hand; C guiding him].
24 You guide me with your advice,
    and later you will receive me in ·honor [glory; C perhaps in the afterlife].
25 ·I have no one [L Whom do I have…?] in heaven but you;
    I ·want [desire] nothing on earth besides you.
26 My body and my ·mind [heart] may become weak,
    but God is ·my strength [L the rock of my heart].
He is ·mine [L my portion] forever.

27 Those who are far from ·God [L you] will ·die [perish];
    you ·destroy [bring to an end] those who ·are unfaithful [prostitute themselves spiritually].
28 But I am close to God, and that is good.
    The Lord God ·is [I have made] my ·protection [refuge].
I will ·tell [recount] all that you have done.

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Psalm 73
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.

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
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