Psalm 73:1-Psalm 74:1 - God's Ways Vindicated

¹ {A Psalm of Asaph} Truly God is loving unto Israel, even unto such as are of a clean heart. ² Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone; my treadings had well nigh slipped. ³ And why? I was grieved at the wicked, to see the ungodly in such prosperity.

⁴ For they are in no peril of death, but stand fast like a palace. ⁵ They come in no misfortune like other folk; neither are they plagued like other men. ⁶ And this is the cause that they be so puffed up in pride, and overwhelmed with cruelty and unrighteousness. ⁷ Their eyes swell with fatness, and they do even what they lust. ⁸ They corrupt others, and speak blasphemies maliciously; proud and presumptuous are their words. ⁹ They stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven, and their tongue goeth through the world. ¹⁰ Therefore fall the people unto them, and there out suck they no small advantage. ¹¹ "Tush," say they, "How should God perceive it? Is there knowledge in the most high?" ¹² Lo, these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world, these have riches in possession;

¹³ and I said, "Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency? ¹⁴ Wherefore should I be then punished daily, and be chastened every morning?" ¹⁵ Yea, I had almost also said even as they do; but lo, then should I have condemned the generation of thy children. ¹⁶ Then thought I to understand this; but it was too hard for me, ¹⁷ until I went into the Sanctuary of God. Then understood I the end of these men. ¹⁸ Namely, how thou hast set them in a slippery places, that thou mayest cast them down headlong and destroy them. ¹⁹ O how suddenly do they consume, perish and come to a fearful end! ²⁰ Yea, even like as a dream when one awaketh, so makest thou their image to vanish out of the city.

²¹ Thus my heart was grieved, and it went even through my veins. ²² So foolish was I, and ignorant, even as it were a beast before thee. ²³ Nevertheless, I am always by thee; thou holdest me by my righthand. ²⁴ Thou leadest me with thy counsel, and afterward receivest me unto glory. ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but thee? There is nothing upon earth, that I desire in comparison of thee. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. ²⁷ For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish; thou destroyest all them that commit fornication against thee. ²⁸ But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the LORD God, and to speak of all thy works in the gates of the daughter of Zion.

¹ {An Instruction of Asaph} O God, wherefore doest thou cast us so clean away? Why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?