| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! | 1Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. |
| 2But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. | 2But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. |
| 3For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. | 3For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. |
| 4For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. | 4They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. |
| 5They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. | 5They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. |
| 6Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. | 6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. |
| 7Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. | 7These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! |
| 8They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. | 8They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. |
| 9They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. | 9They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. |
| 10Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. | 10And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. |
| 11They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" | 11“What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” |
| 12Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. | 12Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. |
| 13Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; | 13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? |
| 14For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. | 14I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. |
| 15If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. | 15If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. |
| 16When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight | 16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! |
| 17Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. | 17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. |
| 18Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. | 18Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. |
| 19How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! | 19In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. |
| 20Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. | 20When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. |
| 21When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, | 21Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. |
| 22Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. | 22I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. |
| 23Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. | 23Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. |
| 24With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. | 24You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. |
| 25Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. | 25Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. |
| 26My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. | 26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. |
| 27For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. | 27Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. |
| 28But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. | 28But 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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