1 S urely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart!

¶ Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are pure in heart.

2 B ut as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped.

But as for me, my feet almost departed from the way; my steps had almost slipped.

3 F or I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For I became angry against the foolish when I saw the peace of the wicked.

4 F or there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat.

Because there is no restraint that would bring about their death, but their strength is firm.

5 T hey are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind.

They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 T herefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them.

Therefore they are crowned with pride; they cover themselves with violence as a garment.

7 T heir eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot.

Their eyes stand out with fatness; they easily obtain the desires of their heart.

8 T hey mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high.

They are lawless and speak wickedly of doing violence; they speak loftily.

9 T hey have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth.

They set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue walks through the earth.

10 T herefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them.

Therefore his people shall return here; and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 T hey say, “ How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?”

And they say, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 B ehold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.

Behold, these ungodly men, without being troubled by the world obtain riches.

13 S urely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence;

Verily, in vain have I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocency

14 F or I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning.

and been plagued all day long and chastened every morning:

15 I f I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

¶ If I should say, I will speak as they do; behold, I should deny the generation of thy sons.

16 W hen I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight

I shall meditate that I might understand this; it is very hard for me to see.

17 U ntil I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.

When I come into the sanctuary of God, then I shall understand their end.

18 S urely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; in desolation thou shalt cause them to fall.

19 H ow they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

How they are brought into desolation, as in a moment! They have come to an end; they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 L ike a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form.

As the dream of one who awakes; so, O Lord, when thou shalt rise up, thou shalt despise their appearances.

21 W hen my heart was embittered And I was pierced within,

¶ Truly my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my kidneys.

22 T hen I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.

But I was ignorant and did not understand; I was as a beast before thee.

23 N evertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.

Nevertheless I was continually with thee; thou hast apprehended me by my right hand.

24 W ith Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.

Thou hast guided me with thy counsel, and afterward thou shalt receive me unto glory.

25 W hom have I in heaven but You ? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? And apart from thee there is nothing upon the earth that I desire.

26 M y flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

My flesh and my heart fail; the strength of my heart is that God is my portion for ever.

27 F or, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

For, behold, those that stray from thee shall perish; thou dost cut off all those that go a whoring from thee.

28 B ut 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.

But as for me, to draw near to God is good; I have put my hope in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.