18 Truly you set them in (A)slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed (B)in a moment,
    swept away utterly by (C)terrors!
20 Like (D)a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when (E)you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was (F)brutish and ignorant;
    I was like (G)a beast toward you.

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you (H)hold my right hand.
24 You (I)guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will (J)receive me to glory.
25 (K)Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 (L)My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is (M)the strength[a] of my heart and my (N)portion (O)forever.

27 For behold, those who are (P)far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is (Q)unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to (R)be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my (S)refuge,
    that I may (T)tell of all your works.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:26 Hebrew rock

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(A)
    you cast them down to ruin.(B)
19 How suddenly(C) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away(D) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(E) when one awakes;(F)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.(G)

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

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.(J)
24 You guide(K) me with your counsel,(L)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(M)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(N)
26 My flesh and my heart(O) may fail,(P)
    but God is the strength(Q) of my heart
    and my portion(R) forever.

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

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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.

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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)

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