English Standard Version

King James Bible

1Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

1A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.

2But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.

4For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

5They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.

6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.

7Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.

8They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.

9They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.

10Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

11And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.

13Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

14For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

15If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,

16When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

17Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

18Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.

18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!

19How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

20As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

21When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,

21Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

22I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.

22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.

23Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

24You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

24Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

25Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

26My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

27For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

27For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

28But 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.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.