1 F or sure 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 falling. My steps had almost tripped.

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

3 F or I was jealous of the proud when I saw that all was going well with the sinful.

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

4 F or they suffer no pain 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 do not have the troubles of other men or suffer like other men.

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

6 S o they wear pride around their neck. Fighting covers them like a coat.

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

7 T hey are so fat that their eyes are pushed out. The crazy thoughts of their hearts run wild.

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

8 T hey laugh at the truth, and speak sinful things about making it hard for others. They speak from a high place.

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

9 T hey say bad things against heaven, and their tongue walks through the earth.

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

10 A nd so his people return to this place and drink water from a full cup.

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? Is there much learning with the Most High?”

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

12 S ee, this is what the sinful are like. They always have it easy and their riches grow.

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

13 F or no good reason I have kept my heart pure and have not sinned.

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

14 F or I have suffered all day long. I have been punished every morning.

and been plagued all day long and chastened every morning:

15 I would not have been true to Your children if I had spoken this way.

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

16 I t was too hard for me when I tried to understand this,

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

17 u ntil I went into the holy place of God. Then I understood their end.

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

18 F or sure, You set the sinful in places where there is danger at every step. You throw them down to be destroyed.

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

19 H ow they are destroyed right away! They come to an end with much fear.

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 wakes up, so You will hate what they look like when You rise up, O Lord.

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

21 M y heart was troubled and I was hurt inside.

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

22 I was without reason and did not know better. I was like an animal before You.

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

23 Y et I am always with You. You hold me by my right hand.

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

24 Y ou will lead me by telling me what I should do. And after this, You will bring me into shining-greatness.

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

25 W hom have I in heaven but You? I want nothing more on earth, but You.

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

26 M y body and my heart may grow weak, but God is the strength of my heart and all I need forever.

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

27 F or, see, those who are far from You will be lost from You forever. You have destroyed all those who are not faithful 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, it is good to be near God. I have made the Lord God my safe place. So I may tell of all the things You have done.

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.