Psalm 73
73
Book Three
God Is My Strength and Portion Forever
A Psalm of #See Ps. 50, titleAsaph.
1Truly God is good to #John 1:47 Israel,
to those who are #See Ps. 24:4pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 # See Job 21:7 For I was #Ps. 37:1; Prov. 23:17 envious of the arrogant
when I saw the #[Ps. 37:7; 92:7; Jer. 12:1]prosperity of the wicked.
4For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not #[Isa. 53:4]stricken like the rest of mankind.
6Therefore pride is #[Judg. 8:26] their necklace;
violence covers them as #[Ps. 109:18]a garment.
7Their #See Job 15:27eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8They scoff and #[2 Pet. 2:18; Jude 16]speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find #[Job 15:16]no fault in them.#73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
11And they say, #See Job 22:13“How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they #[ver. 3]increase in riches.
13All in vain have I #[ver. 1]; See Job 34:9 kept my heart clean
and #See Ps. 26:6washed my hands in innocence.
14For all the day long I have been #[See ver. 5 above] stricken
and #Rev. 3:19 rebuked #[Ps. 101:8]every morning.
15If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed #[Ps. 14:5]the generation of your children.
16But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me #Eccles. 8:17a wearisome task,
17until I went into #Ps. 20:2 the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their #Ps. 37:38end.
18Truly you set them in #Ps. 35:6slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19How they are destroyed #[Num. 16:21] in a moment,
swept away utterly by #See Job 18:11terrors!
20Like #See Job 20:8 a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when #Ps. 78:65you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22I was #See Ps. 49:10 brutish and ignorant;
I was like #Job 18:3; [Job 11:12]a beast toward you.
23Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you #Ps. 63:8; [Ps. 41:12]hold my right hand.
24You #Ps. 32:8 guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will #See Ps. 49:15receive me to glory.
25 #
Ps. 16:2; [Phil. 3:8] Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 #
Ps. 40:12; See Ps. 84:2 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is #Ps. 18:2 the strength#73:26 Hebrew rock of my heart and my #See Ps. 16:5 portion #[Dan. 12:3]forever.
27For behold, those who are #Ps. 119:155 far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is #Ps. 106:39; Ex. 34:15; Num. 15:39; James 4:4unfaithful to you.
28But for me it is good to #James 4:8; [Heb. 10:22] be near God;
I have made the Lord God my #See Ps. 14:6 refuge,
that I may #See Ps. 118:17tell of all your works.
Currently Selected:
Psalm 73: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
Psalms 73
73
Book 3
(Psalms 73-89)
Asaph’s song of praise.
1God is so good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2But I almost slipped and lost my balance.
I almost fell into sin.
3I saw that wicked people were successful,
and I became jealous of those proud people.
4They are healthy.
They don’t have to struggle to survive.#73:4 Literally, “They have no bonds to their death.”
5They don’t suffer like the rest of us.
They don’t have troubles like other people.
6So they are proud and hateful.
This is as easy to see as the jewels and fancy clothes they wear.
7If they see something they like, they go and take it.
They do whatever they want.
8They make fun of others and say cruel things about them.
In their pride they make plans to hurt people.
9They think they are gods!
They think they are the rulers of the earth.
10 # 73:10 The Hebrew text here is hard to understand. Even God’s people turn to them
and do what they say.
11Those evil people say, “God does not know what we are doing!
God Most High does not know!”
12Those proud people are wicked,
but they are rich and getting richer.
13Clearly, then, I gain nothing by keeping my thoughts pure!
What good is it to keep myself from sin?
14God, I suffer all day long,
and you punish me every morning.
15I wanted to tell others these things,
but that would have made me a traitor to your people.
16I tried hard to understand all this,
but it was too hard for me.
17But then, God, I went to your Temple,
and I understood what will happen to the wicked.
18Clearly, you have put them in danger.
You make it easy for them to fall and be destroyed.
19Trouble can come suddenly,
and they will be ruined.
Terrible things can happen to them,
and they will be finished.
20Then they will be like a dream
that we forget when we wake up.
You will make them disappear
like the monsters in our dreams.
21-22I was so stupid.
I thought about such people and became upset.
God, I was upset and angry with you!
I acted like a senseless animal.
23But I am always with you.
You hold my hand.
24You lead me and give me good advice,
and later you will lead me to glory.#73:24 lead me to glory Or “receive me in honor.”
25In heaven, God, I have only you.
And if I am with you, what on earth could I want?
26Maybe my mind#73:26 mind Literally, “heart.” and body will become weak,
but God is my source of strength.#73:26 my … strength Literally, “the Rock of my heart.”
He is mine forever!
27God, people who leave you will be lost.
You will destroy all who are not faithful to you.
28As for me, all I need is to be close to God.
I have made the Lord GOD my place of safety.
And, God, I will tell about all that you have done.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International