New Living Translation

English Standard Version

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.