The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 A psalm of Asaf: How good God is to Isra'el, to those who are pure in heart!
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Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean in heart.
2 But as for me, I lost my balance, my feet nearly slipped,
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But as for me, my feet had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping;
3 when I grew envious of the arrogant and saw how the wicked prosper.
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Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
4 For when their death comes, it is painless; and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy;
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For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.
5 they don't have ordinary people's troubles, they aren't plagued like others.
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They are not in trouble as others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men.
6 So for them, pride is a necklace; and violence clothes them like a robe.
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For this reason pride is round them like a chain; they are clothed with violent behaviour as with a robe.
7 Their eyes peep out through folds of fat; evil thoughts overflow from their hearts.
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Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire.
8 They scoff and speak with malice, they loftily utter threats.
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Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts.
9 They set their mouths against heaven; their tongues swagger through the earth.
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Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here and [thoughtlessly] suck up that whole cup of water.
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For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them.
11 Then they ask, "How does God know? Does the Most High really have knowledge?"
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And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Yes, this is what the wicked are like; those free of misfortune keep increasing their wealth.
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Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.
13 It's all for nothing that I've kept my heart clean and washed my hands, staying free of guilt;
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As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness;
14 for all day long I am plagued; my punishment comes every morning.
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For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment.
15 If I had said, "I will talk like them,"I would have betrayed a generation of your children.
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If I would make clear what it is like, I would say, You are false to the generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, I found it too hard for me -
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When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes;
17 until I went into the sanctuaries of God and grasped what their destiny would be.
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Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers.
18 Indeed, you place them on a slippery slope and make them fall to their ruin.
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You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.
19 How suddenly they are destroyed, swept away by terrors!
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How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction.
20 They are like a dream when one awakens; Adonai, when you rouse yourself, you will despise their phantoms.
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As a dream when one is awake, they are ended; they are like an image gone out of mind when sleep is over.
21 When I had a sour attitude and felt stung by pained emotions,
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My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief:
22 I was too stupid to understand; I was like a brute beast with you.
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As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I am always with you; you hold my right hand.
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But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with your advice; and afterwards, you will receive me with honor.
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Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour.
25 Whom do I have in heaven but you? And with you, I lack nothing on earth.
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Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth.
26 My mind and body may fail; but God is the rock for my mind and my portion forever.
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My flesh and my heart are wasting away: but God is the Rock of my heart and my eternal heritage.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who adulterously leave you.
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For those who are far away from you will come to destruction: you will put an end to all those who have not kept faith with you.
28 But for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made Adonai ELOHIM my refuge, so that I can tell of all your works.
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But it is good for me to come near to God: I have put my faith in the Lord God, so that I may make clear all his works.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.