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1 [BOOK THE THIRD] [[A Melody of Asaph.]] Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart. |
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2 But, as for me,–My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped; |
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3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look. |
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4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body; |
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5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten. |
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6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire; |
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7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart; |
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8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command; |
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9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth. |
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10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
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11 And they say–How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? |
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12 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth. |
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13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands; |
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14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning! |
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15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed. |
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16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes: |
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17 Until I could enter the holy places of God,–Could give heed to their hereafter:– |
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18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them,–Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger. |
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19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased–come to an end, by reason of calamities. |
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20 As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise. |
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21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds; |
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22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee. |
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23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand; |
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24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me. |
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25 Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth. |
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26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart–and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding. |
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27 For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee. |
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28 But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness,–I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge,–That I may recount all thy works. |
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