BOOK III
Psalms 73–89
Surely God Is Good to Israel
אַ֤ךְ ט֭וֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֱלֹהִ֗ים לְבָרֵ֥י לֵבָֽב׃
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
וַאֲנִ֗י כִּ֭מְעַט נָטָ֣יוּ רַגְלָ֑י כְּ֝אַ֗יִן שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
כִּֽי־קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
כִּ֤י אֵ֖ין חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת לְמוֹתָ֗ם וּבָרִ֥יא אוּלָֽם׃
They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed.
בַּעֲמַ֣ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ אֵינֵ֑מוֹ וְעִם־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃
They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men.
לָ֭כֵן עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ גַאֲוָ֑ה יַעֲטָף־שִׁ֝֗ית חָמָ֥ס לָֽמוֹ׃
Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them.
יָ֭צָא מֵחֵ֣לֶב עֵינֵ֑מוֹ עָ֝בְר֗וּ מַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת לֵבָֽב׃
From their prosperity proceeds iniquity; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
יָמִ֤יקוּ׀ וִידַבְּר֣וּ בְרָ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁק מִמָּר֥וֹם יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
שַׁתּ֣וּ בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם פִּיהֶ֑ם וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם תִּֽהֲלַ֥ךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.
לָכֵ֤ן׀ יָשׁ֣וּב עַמּ֣וֹ הֲלֹ֑ם וּמֵ֥י מָ֝לֵ֗א יִמָּ֥צוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
So their people return to this place and drink up waters in abundance.
וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃
The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
הִנֵּה־אֵ֥לֶּה רְשָׁעִ֑ים וְשַׁלְוֵ֥י ע֝וֹלָ֗ם הִשְׂגּוּ־חָֽיִל׃
Behold, these are the wicked—always carefree as they increase their wealth.
אַךְ־רִ֭יק זִכִּ֣יתִי לְבָבִ֑י וָאֶרְחַ֖ץ בְּנִקָּי֣וֹן כַּפָּֽי׃
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands.
וָאֱהִ֣י נָ֭גוּעַ כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י לַבְּקָרִֽים׃
For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.
אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה כְמ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה ד֭וֹר בָּנֶ֣יךָ בָגָֽדְתִּי׃
If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children.
וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל ה֣וּא בְעֵינָֽי׃
When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight
עַד־אָ֭בוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵ֑ל אָ֝בִ֗ינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃
until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end.
אַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
אֵ֤יךְ הָי֣וּ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה כְרָ֑גַע סָ֥פוּ תַ֝֗מּוּ מִן־בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
כַּחֲל֥וֹם מֵהָקִ֑יץ אֲ֝דֹנָי בָּעִ֤יר׀ צַלְמָ֬ם תִּבְזֶֽה׃
Like one waking from a dream, so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.
כִּ֭י יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ לְבָבִ֑י וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃
When my heart was grieved and I was pierced within,
וַאֲנִי־בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
וַאֲנִ֣י תָמִ֣יד עִמָּ֑ךְ אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִֽי׃
Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.
בַּעֲצָתְךָ֥ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְ֝אַחַ֗ר כָּב֥וֹד תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃
You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.
מִי־לִ֥י בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְ֝עִמְּךָ֗ לֹא־חָפַ֥צְתִּי בָאָֽרֶץ׃
Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You.
כָּלָ֥ה שְׁאֵרִ֗י וּלְבָ֫בִ֥י צוּר־לְבָבִ֥י וְחֶלְקִ֗י אֱלֹהִ֥ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה רְחֵקֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ הִ֝צְמַ֗תָּה כָּל־זוֹנֶ֥ה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
Those far from You will surely perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
וַאֲנִ֤י׀ קִֽרֲבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים לִ֫י־ט֥וֹב שַׁתִּ֤י׀ בַּאדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר כָּל־מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.