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The Book of Psalms

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- Chapter 73 -

God is surely good to Israel

1
A Psalm of Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to those who are upright in heart.
2
But my feet were nearly moved; my steps had nearly slipped.
3
For I was zealous over the iniquitous, seeing the peacefulness of sinners.
4
For they have no respect for their death, nor do they have support in their wounds.
5
They are not with the hardships of men, nor will they be scourged with men.
6
Therefore, arrogance has held on to them. They have been covered with their iniquity and impiety.
7
Their iniquity has proceeded, as if from fat. They have parted from the affection of the heart.(a)
8
They have thought and spoken wickedness. They have spoken iniquity in high places.(b)
9
They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has traversed the earth.(c)
10
Therefore, my people will be converted here, and fullness of days will be found in them.(d)
11
And they said, “How would God know?” and, “Isn’t there knowledge in high places?”(e)
12
Behold, these are sinners, and, abounding in this age, they have obtained riches.
13
And I said: So then, it is without purpose that I have justified my heart and washed my hands among the innocent.
14
And I have been scourged all day long, and I have received my chastisement in the mornings.
15
If I were to say that I would explain this: Behold, I would condemn this nation of your sons.(f)
16
I considered, so that I might know this. It is a hardship before me,
17
until I may enter into the Sanctuary of God, and understand it to its last part.
18
So, because of deceitfulness, truly, you have placed it before them. While they were being lifted up, you were casting them down.(g)
19
How have they been brought to desolation? They have suddenly failed. They have perished because of their iniquity.
20
As a dream is to those who awaken, O Lord, so will you reduce their image to nothing in your city.
21
For my heart has been inflamed, and my temperament has been changed.
22
And so, I have been reduced to nothing, and I did not know it.
23
I have become like a beast of burden to you, and I am always with you.
24
You have held my right hand. And in your will, you have conducted me, and with your glory, you have taken me up.
25
For what is there for me in heaven? And what do I wish for on earth before you?
26
My body has failed, and my heart: O God of my heart, and God my portion, into eternity.
27
For behold, those who put themselves far from you will perish. You have perished all those who fornicate away from you.
28
But it is good for me to adhere to God, to put my hope in the Lord God, so that I may announce all your prophecies, at the gates of the daughter of Zion.(h)

Footnotes

(a)72:7 Fatness:Abundance and temporal prosperity, which has encouraged them in their iniquity: and made them give themselves up to their irregular affections.(Challoner)
(b)72:8 In modern terms, speaking iniquity in high places could be equated to speaking iniquity in the media.(Conte)
(c)72:9 Again, through the media, many persons speak against heaven and their words traverse the earth.(Conte)
(d)72:10 Return here:or hither. The weak among the servants of God, will be apt often to return to this thought, and will be shocked when they consider the full days, that is, the long and prosperous life of the wicked; and will be tempted to make the reflections against providence which are set down in the following verses.(Challoner)
(e)72:11 The word ‘excelso’ here does not refer to God Most High. Rather, it refers to the ‘excelso’ of the above verse, i.e. the high places of the world, such as governments and corporations and news media organizations, etc. The word ‘si’ is not simply translated as ‘if’ or ‘whether.’(Conte)
(f)72:15 If I said, etc:That is, if I should indulge such thoughts as these.(Challoner)
(g)72:18 you have put it to them:In punishment of their deceits, or for deceiving them, you have brought evils upon them in their last end, which, in their prosperity they never apprehended.(Challoner)
(h)72:28 Or, ‘all your predictions, at the gates of daughter Zion.’(Conte)

God is surely good to Israel

1
Surely God(a) is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2
But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7
Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10
Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11
They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12
Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13
Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
14
For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
15
If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
17
until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19
How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20
As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord,(b) when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25
Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
26
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27
For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28
But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord the LORD (c) my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Footnotes

(a)73:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(b)73:20 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
(c)73:28 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
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