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1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;[b]
their evil conceits of their mind knows no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, ‘How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?’
12 This is what the wicked are like –
always care free, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
in vane I have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been plagued,
I have been punished every morning.
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15 If I had said, ‘I will speak thus’,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes;
so when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion for ever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
(NIV)
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Psalm 73: This has been called a Wisdom psalm its prayer ranges from an individual’s prayer, someone losing their faith, and up to a prayer for a king.
The palmist he had almost lost his faith when he saw how wealthy the wicked were. But at the temple he comes to see that God’s presence was all he needed, and his faith is restored. ‘
Our hope in God’ seems to be an important feeling in the psalm, and it is with hope that we go through each day, doing the work for God. There will be times when we doubt, when things have been too much for us, but our faith in God must be our strong hold. No matter what is happening, hold on to the thought that God is with you, and He will help you through your ordeals.
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