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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Psalm 73 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/psalms/73.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/psalms/73-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Psalm 73</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../psalms/72.htm" title="Psalm 72">◄</a> Psalm 73 <a href="../psalms/74.htm" title="Psalm 74">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h2 class="ms1">BOOK III</h2><h3 class="mr">(<ref loc="PSA 73-89">Psalms 73–89</ref>)</h3><h3 class="d">(A psalm by Asaph.)</h3><h3 class="s1">God Is Good</h3><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_1"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.1" class="v19_73_1">1</span>God is truly good to Israel,<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.73.1!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_1">especially to everyone</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_1">with a pure heart.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_2"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.2" class="v19_73_2">2</span>But I almost stumbled and fell,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_3"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.3" class="v19_73_3">3</span>because it made me jealous</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_3">to see proud and evil people</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_3">and to watch them prosper.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_4"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.4" class="v19_73_4">4</span>They never have to suffer,<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.73.4!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_4">they stay healthy,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_5"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.5" class="v19_73_5">5</span>and they don't have troubles</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_5">like everyone else.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_6"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.6" class="v19_73_6">6</span>Their pride is like a necklace,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_6">and they commit sin more often</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_6">than they dress themselves.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_7"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.7" class="v19_73_7">7</span>Their eyes bulge with fat,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_7">and their minds are flooded</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_7">with foolish thoughts.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_8"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.8" class="v19_73_8">8</span>They sneer and say cruel things,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_8">and because of their pride,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_8">they make violent threats.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_9"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.9" class="v19_73_9">9</span>They dare to speak against God</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_9">and to order others around.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_10"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.10" class="v19_73_10">10</span>God will bring his people back,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_10">and they will drink the water</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_10">he so freely gives.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.73.10!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_11"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.11" class="v19_73_11">11</span>Only evil people would say,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_11">“God Most High cannot</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_11">know everything!”</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_12"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.12" class="v19_73_12">12</span>Yet all goes well for them,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_12">and they live in peace.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_13"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.13" class="v19_73_13">13</span>What good did it do me</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_13">to keep my thoughts pure</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_13">and refuse to do wrong?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_14"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.14" class="v19_73_14">14</span>I am sick all day,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_14">and I am punished</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_14">each morning.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_15"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.15" class="v19_73_15">15</span>If I had said evil things,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_15">I would not have been loyal</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_15">to your people.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_16"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.16" class="v19_73_16">16</span>It was hard for me</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_16">to understand all this!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_17"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.17" class="v19_73_17">17</span>Then I went to your temple,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_17">and there I understood</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_17">what will happen</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_17">to my enemies.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_18"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.18" class="v19_73_18">18</span>You will make them stumble,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_18">never to get up again.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_19"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.19" class="v19_73_19">19</span>They will be terrified,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_19">suddenly swept away</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_19">and no longer there.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_20"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.20" class="v19_73_20">20</span>They will disappear, Lord,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_20">despised like a bad dream</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_20">the morning after.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_21"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.21" class="v19_73_21">21</span>Once I was bitter</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_21">and brokenhearted.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_22"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.22" class="v19_73_22">22</span>I was stupid and ignorant,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_22">and I treated you</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_22">as a wild animal would.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_23"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.23" class="v19_73_23">23</span>But I never really left you,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_23">and you hold my right hand.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_24"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.24" class="v19_73_24">24</span>Your advice has been my guide,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_24">and later you will welcome me</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_24">in glory.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ps.73.24!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_25"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.25" class="v19_73_25">25</span>In heaven I have only you,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_25">and on this earth</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_25">you are all I want.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_26"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.26" class="v19_73_26">26</span>My body and mind may fail,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_26">but you are my strength</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_26">and my choice forever.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_27"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.27" class="v19_73_27">27</span>All-Powerful <span class="nd">Lord</span> God,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_27">those who stay far from you</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_27">will be lost,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_27">and you will destroy those</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_27">who are unfaithful.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_28"><span class="reftext" id="Ps.73.28" class="v19_73_28">28</span>It is good for me</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_28">to be near you.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_28">I choose you as my protector,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v19_73_28">and I will tell about</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v19_73_28">your wonderful deeds.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">73.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">to Israel: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “to those who do right.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">73.4 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">They … suffer: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “They die a painless death.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">73.10 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">gives: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">73.24 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">in glory: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “with honor.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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