New Living Translation NLT
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
1
A Psalm of Asaph. Only -- good to Israel [is] God, to the clean of heart. And I -- as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
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As nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
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The peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
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And their might [is] firm.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
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In the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
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Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
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Their eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
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They do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
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They have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
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Therefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.
11 “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
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And they have said, `How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
12 Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
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Lo, these [are] the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
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Only -- a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
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And I am plagued all the day, And my reproof [is] every morning.
15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.
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If I have said, `I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
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And I think to know this, Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes,
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
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Till I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
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Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
19 In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
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How have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended -- consumed from terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
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As a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.
21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
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For my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,
22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
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And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
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And I [am] continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
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With Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
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Whom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
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Consumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.
27 Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
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For, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
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And I -- nearness of God to me [is] good, I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge, To recount all Thy works!