New Century Version NCV
English Standard Version ESV
1 God is truly good to Israel, to those who have pure hearts.
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Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But I had almost stopped believing; I had almost lost my faith
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But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
3 because I was jealous of proud people. I saw wicked people doing well.
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For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They are not suffering; they are healthy and strong.
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For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They don't have troubles like the rest of us; they don't have problems like other people.
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They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 They wear pride like a necklace and put on violence as their clothing.
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Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
7 They are looking for profits and do not control their selfish desires.
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Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They make fun of others and speak evil; proudly they speak of hurting others.
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They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They brag to the sky. They say that they own the earth.
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They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 So their people turn to them and give them whatever they want.
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Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
11 They say, "How can God know?
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And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High? ”
12 These people are wicked, always at ease, and getting richer.
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Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 So why have I kept my heart pure? Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?
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All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 I have suffered all day long; I have been punished every morning.
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For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
15 God, if I had decided to talk like this, I would have let your people down.
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If I had said, “I will speak thus, ”I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 I tried to understand all this, but it was too hard for me to see
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But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went to the Temple of God. Then I understood what will happen to them.
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until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
18 You have put them in danger; you cause them to be destroyed.
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Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 They are destroyed in a moment; they are swept away by terrors.
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How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 It will be like waking from a dream. Lord, when you rise up, they will disappear.
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Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my heart was sad and I was angry,
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When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was senseless and stupid. I acted like an animal toward you.
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I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
23 But I am always with you; you have held my hand.
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Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your advice, and later you will receive me in honor.
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You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 I have no one in heaven but you; I want nothing on earth besides you.
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Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever.
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My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from God will die; you destroy those who are unfaithful.
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For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But I am close to God, and that is good. The Lord God is my protection. I will tell all that you have done. A maskil of Asaph.
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But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.