Study Desk

A Psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is ^(a)good to Israel, To those who are ^(b)pure in heart!

But as for me, ^(c)my feet came close to stumbling, My steps ^[a]had almost slipped.

For I was ^(d)envious of the ^[b]arrogant As I saw the ^(e)prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no pains in their death, And their ^[c]body is fat.

They are ^(f)not ^[d]in trouble as other ^[e]men, Nor are they ^(g)plagued ^[f]like mankind.

Therefore pride is ^(h)their necklace; The ⁽ⁱ⁾garment of violence covers them.

Their eye ^[g]bulges from ^(j)fatness; The imaginations of their heart ^[h]run riot.

They ^(k)mock and ^[i]wickedly speak of oppression; They ^(l)speak from on high.

They have ^(m)set their mouth ^[j]against the heavens, And their tongue ^[k]parades through the earth.

Therefore ^[l]his people return to this place, And waters of ⁽ⁿ⁾abundance are ^[m]drunk by them.

They say, "^(o)How does God know? And is there knowledge ^[n]with the Most High?"

Behold, ^(p)these are the wicked; And always ^(q)at ease, they have increased in wealth.

Surely ^(r)in vain I have ^[o]kept my heart pure And ^(s)washed my hands in innocence;

For I have been stricken ^(t)all day long And ^[p](u)chastened every morning.

If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the ^(v)generation of Your children.

When I ^(w)pondered to understand this, It was ^[q]troublesome in my sight

Until I came into the ^[r](x)sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their ^(y)end.

Surely You set them in ^(z)slippery places; You cast them down to ^[s](aa)destruction.

How they are ^[t](ab)destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by ^(ac)sudden terrors!

Like a ^(ad)dream when one awakes, O Lord, when ^(ae)aroused, You will ^(af)despise their ^[u]form.

When my ^(ag)heart was embittered And I was ^(ah)pierced ^[v]within,

Then I was ^(ai)senseless and ignorant; I was like ^[w]a ^(aj)beast ^[x]before You.

Nevertheless ^(ak)I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.

With Your counsel You will ^(al)guide me, And afterward ^(am)receive me ^[y]to glory.

^(an)Whom have I in heaven but You? And ^[z]besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

My ^(ao)flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the ^[aa]strength of my heart and my ^(ap)portion forever.

For, behold, ^(aq)those who are far from You will ^(ar)perish; You have ^[ab]destroyed all those who ^[ac](as)are unfaithful to You.

But as for me, ^(at)the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord ^[ad] God my ^(au)refuge, That I may ^(av)tell of all Your works.