English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

1Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.

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

2But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.

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

3For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

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

4They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.

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

5They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.

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

6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.

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

7These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!

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

8They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.

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

9They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.

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

10And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.

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

11“What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”

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

12Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

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

13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?

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

14I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.

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

15If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.

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

16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!

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

17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

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

18Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.

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

19In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.

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

20When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

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

21Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.

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

22I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.

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

23Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.

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

24You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

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

25Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.

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

26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

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

27Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.

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 as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.