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.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Psalm 73
73
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 TRULY GOD is [only] good to Israel, even to those who are upright and pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious of the foolish and arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they suffer no violent pangs in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they smitten and plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride is about their necks like a chain; violence covers them like a garment [like a long, luxurious robe].
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish; and the imaginations of their minds overflow [with follies].
8 They scoff, and wickedly utter oppression; they speak loftily [from on high, maliciously and blasphemously].
9 They set their mouths against and speak down from heaven, and their tongues swagger through the earth [invading even heaven with blasphemy and smearing earth with slanders]. [Rev. 13:6.]
10 Therefore His people return here, and waters of a full cup [offered by the wicked] are [blindly] drained by them.
11 And they say, How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who always prosper and are at ease in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Surely then in vain have I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been smitten and plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 Had I spoken thus [and given expression to my feelings], I would have been untrue and have dealt treacherously against the generation of Your children.
16 But when I considered how to understand this, it was too great an effort for me and too painful
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood [for I considered] their end.
18 [After all] You do set the [wicked] in slippery places; You cast them down to ruin and destruction.
19 How they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors!
20 As a dream [which seems real] until one awakens, so, O Lord, when You arouse Yourself [to take note of the wicked], You will despise their outward show.
21 For my heart was grieved, embittered, and in a state of ferment, and I was pricked in my heart [as with the sharp fang of an adder].
22 So foolish, stupid, and brutish was I, and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And I have no delight or desire on earth besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.
27 For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You will destroy all who are false to You and like [spiritual] harlots depart from You.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.
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