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, To such as are pure in heart.

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

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.

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

For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 A nd their might firm.

For there are no pangs 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, Nor are they plagued like other men.

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

Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.

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

Their eyes bulge with abundance; 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 scoff 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 walks through the earth.

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

Therefore his people return here, And waters of a full cup are drained by them.

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

And they say, “How does 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 are always at ease; They increase in riches.

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

Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence.

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

For all day long I have 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 had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

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

When I thought how to understand 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 I understood their end.

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

Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.

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

Oh, how they are brought to 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 awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall 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 vexed in my mind.

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

I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.

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

Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.

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

You will guide me with Your 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 You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

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 fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

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

For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.

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 G OD, That I may declare all Your works.