New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Truly God is good to the upright, 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, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
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But as for me, my feet had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping;
3 For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
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Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.
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For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people.
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They are not in trouble as others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
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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 swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
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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; loftily they threaten oppression.
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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, and their tongues range over the earth.
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Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
10 Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.
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For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them.
11 And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
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And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
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Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.
13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
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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 have been plagued, and am punished 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 on in this way," I would have been untrue to the circle 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 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
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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 sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.
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Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
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You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly 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 awakes; on awaking you 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 my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
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My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief:
22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward 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 continually 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 guide me with your counsel, and afterward 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 have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
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Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart 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 Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to 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 it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to 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.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.