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!
But as for me, (C)my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps [a]had almost slipped.
For I was (D)envious of the [b]arrogant
As I saw the (E)prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pains in their death,
And their belly is fat.
They are (F)not [c]in trouble like other people,
Nor are they (G)tormented together with the rest of mankind.
Therefore arrogance is (H)their necklace;
The (I)garment of violence covers them.
Their eye [d]bulges from (J)fatness;
The imaginations of their heart overflow.
They (K)mock and [e]wickedly speak of oppression;
They (L)speak from on high.
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.

Notas al pie

  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

BOOK III (Psalms 73-89)

A song of Asaph.

A Plea for Deliverance

73 God is indeed good to Israel,
    to those pure in heart.

Now as for me, my feet nearly stumbled,
    as I almost lost my step.
For I was envious of the proud
    when I observed the prosperity of the wicked.
For there is no struggle at their deaths,
    and their bodies are healthy.
They do not experience problems common to ordinary people;
    they aren’t afflicted as others[a] are.
Therefore pride is their necklace
    and violence covers them like a garment.

Their eyes bulge from obesity
    and the imaginations of their mind cross the border into sin.[b]
In their mockery they speak evil;
    from their arrogant position they speak oppression.
They choose to speak[c] against heaven;
    while they talk about things on earth.
10 Therefore God’s[d] people return there
    and drink it all in like water until they’re satiated.
11 Then they say,
    “How can God know?
        Does the Most High have knowledge?”

12 Just look at these wicked people!
    They’re perpetually carefree
        as they increase their wealth.
13 I kept my heart pure for nothing
    and kept my hands clean from guilt.
14 For I suffer all day long
    and I am punished every morning.

15 If I say, “I will talk like this,”
    I would betray a generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand this,
    it was too difficult for me
17 until I entered the sanctuaries of God.
    Then I understood their destiny.
18 You have certainly set them in slippery places;
    you will make them fall to their ruin.

19 How desolate they quickly become,
    completely destroyed by calamities.
20 Like a dream when one awakens, Lord,
    you will despise their image when you arise.
21 When I chose to be bitter
    I was emotionally pained.
22 Then, I was too stupid
    and didn’t realize I was acting like[e] a wild animal with you.

23 But now I am always with you,
    for you keep holding my right hand.
24 You will guide me with your wise advice,
    and later you will receive me with honor.

25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
    I desire nothing on this [f]earth.
26 My body and mind may fail,
    but God is my strength[g] and my portion forever.

27 Those far from you will perish;
    you will destroy those who are unfaithful to you.
28 As for me, how good for me it is that God is near!
    I have made the Lord God my refuge
        so I can tell about all your deeds.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 73:5 Lit. human beings
  2. Psalm 73:7 The Heb. lacks into sin
  3. Psalm 73:9 Lit. They set their mouth
  4. Psalm 73:10 Lit. his
  5. Psalm 73:22 The Heb. lacks acting like
  6. Psalm 73:25 The Heb. lacks this
  7. Psalm 73:26 Lit. is the rock of my heart