1 A Psalm of Asaph. Only -- good to Israel God, to the clean of heart. And I -- as a little thing, My feet have been turned aside,

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 A s nothing, have my steps slipped, For I have been envious of the boastful,

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 T he peace of the wicked I see, That there are no bands at their death,

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 A nd their might firm.

For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 I n the misery of mortals they are not, And with common men they are not plagued.

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

6 T herefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.

Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 T heir eye hath come out from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;

Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 T hey do corruptly, And they speak in the wickedness of oppression, From on high they speak.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 T hey have set in the heavens their mouth, And their tongue walketh in the earth.

They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 T herefore do His people return hither, And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.

Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 A nd they have said, `How hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'

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

12 L o, these the wicked and easy ones of the age, They have increased strength.

Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 O nly -- a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,

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

14 A nd I am plagued all the day, And my reproof every morning.

For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 I f I have said, `I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.

If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 A nd I think to know this, Perverseness it in mine eyes,

When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 T ill I come in to the sanctuaries of God, I attend to their latter end.

until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

18 O nly, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19 H ow have they become a desolation as in a moment, They have been ended -- consumed from terrors.

How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 A s a dream from awakening, O Lord, In awaking, their image Thou despisest.

As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

21 F or my heart doth show itself violent, And my reins prick themselves,

Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

22 A nd I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.

So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23 A nd I continually with Thee, Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

24 W ith Thy counsel Thou dost lead me, And after honour dost receive me.

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 W hom have I in the heavens? And with Thee none I have desired in earth.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26 C onsumed hath been my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart and my portion God to the age.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

27 F or, lo, those far from Thee do perish, Thou hast cut off every one, Who is going a whoring from Thee.

For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28 A nd I -- nearness of God to me good, I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge, To recount all Thy works!

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.