Psalms 73:1--75:10

Book 3
(Psalms 73-89)

Psalm 73

A psalm by Asaph.

73:1 Certainly God is good to Israel,

and to those whose motives are pure!

73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my feet almost slid out from under me.

73:3 For I envied those who are proud,

as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

73:4 For they suffer no pain;

their bodies are strong and well-fed.

73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;

they do not suffer as other men do.

73:6 Arrogance is their necklace,

and violence their clothing.

73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;

their thoughts are sinful.

73:8 They mock and say evil things;

they proudly threaten violence.

73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,

and lay claim to the earth.

73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,

and even suck up the water of the sea.

73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?

Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”

73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like,

those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.

73:13 I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure

and maintained a pure lifestyle.

73:14 I suffer all day long,

and am punished every morning.”

73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts,

I would have betrayed your loyal followers.

73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,

it was troubling to me.

73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple,

and understood the destiny of the wicked.

73:18 Surely you put them in slippery places;

you bring them down to ruin.

73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!

Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!

73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.

O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.

73:21 Yes, my spirit was bitter,

and my insides felt sharp pain.

73:22 I was ignorant and lacked insight;

I was as senseless as an animal before you.

73:23 But I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

73:24 You guide me by your wise advice,

and then you will lead me to a position of honor.

73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?

I desire no one but you on earth.

73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,

but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.

73:27 Yes, look! Those far from you die;

you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.

73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.

I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,

as I declare all the things you have done.

Psalm 74

A well-written song by Asaph.

74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us?

Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

74:2 Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times,

whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation,

as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!

74:3 Hurry and look at the permanent ruins,

and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple!

74:4 Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary;

they set up their battle flags.

74:5 They invade like lumberjacks

swinging their axes in a thick forest.

74:6 And now they are tearing down all its engravings

with axes and crowbars.

74:7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground.

74:8 They say to themselves,

“We will oppress all of them.”

They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land.

74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence;

there are no longer any prophets

and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.

74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?

Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

74:11 Why do you remain inactive?

Intervene and destroy him!

74:12 But God has been my king from ancient times,

performing acts of deliverance on the earth.

74:13 You destroyed the sea by your strength;

you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.

74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

you fed him to the people who live along the coast.

74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream;

you dried up perpetually flowing rivers.

74:16 You established the cycle of day and night;

you put the moon and sun in place.

74:17 You set up all the boundaries of the earth;

you created the cycle of summer and winter.

74:18 Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O Lord,

and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!

74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal!

Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people!

74:20 Remember your covenant promises,

for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules.

74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!

Let the oppressed and poor praise your name!

74:22 Rise up, O God! Defend your honor!

Remember how fools insult you all day long!

74:23 Do not disregard what your enemies say,

or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.

Psalm 75

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a psalm of Asaph; a song.

75:1 We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks!

You reveal your presence;

people tell about your amazing deeds.

75:2 God says,

“At the appointed times,

I judge fairly.

75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear,

I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)

75:4 I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,”

and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory!

75:5 Do not be so certain you have won!

Do not speak with your head held so high!

75:6 For victory does not come from the east or west,

or from the wilderness.

75:7 For God is the judge!

He brings one down and exalts another.

75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full

of foaming wine mixed with spices,

and pours it out.

Surely all the wicked of the earth

will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.”

75:9 As for me, I will continually tell what you have done;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob!

75:10 God says,

“I will bring down all the power of the wicked;

the godly will be victorious.”