1 [A Psalm of Asaph.] Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure heart.2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped;3 For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.4 For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;5 They have not the hardships of mankind, neither are they plagued like {other} men:6 Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them {as} a garment;7 Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:8 They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:9 They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.11 And they say, How can *God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.13 Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:14 For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.15 If I said, I will speak thus, behold, I should be faithless to the generation of thy children.16 When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;17 Until I went into the sanctuaries of *God; {then} understood I their end.18 Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.19 How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed with terrors.20 As a dream, when one awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.21 When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,22 Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was {as} a beast with thee.23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand;24 Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.25 Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.26 My flesh and my heart faileth: God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.27 For behold, they that are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth a whoring from thee.28 But as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, that I may declare all thy works.

1 'n Psalm van Asaf. Waarlik, God is goed vir Israel, vir die wat rein van hart is.2 Maar wat my aangaan, my voete het amper gestruikel, my voetstappe het byna uitgegly.3 Want ek was afgunstig op die onsinniges toe ek die voorspoed van die goddelose mense sien.4 Want daar is geen kwellings by hulle nie, gesond en vet is hulle liggaam.5 In die moeite van sterwelinge is hulle nie, en saam met ander mense word hulle nie geplaag nie.6 Daarom is die trots om hulle soos 'n halssieraad, die geweld bedek hulle soos 'n gewaad.7 Hulle oë puil uit van vet; die inbeeldinge van die hart loop oor.8 Hulle spot en spreek in boosheid verdrukking; hulle spreek uit die hoogte.9 Hulle stel hul mond teen die hemel, en hul tong wandel op die aarde.10 Daarom draai hulle mense hul hierheen, en waters in volheid word deur hulle geslurp.11 En hulle sê: Hoe sou God dit weet, en sou daar kennis by die Allerhoogste wees?12 Kyk, so is die goddelose mense, en altyd onbesorg vermeerder hulle die rykdom!13 Waarlik, tevergeefs het ek my hart rein gehou en my hande in onskuld gewas.14 Die hele dag tog is ek geslaan, en my tugtiging was daar elke môre .15 As ek gesê het: Ek wil ook so spreek -- dan sou ek ontrou gewees het aan die geslag van u kinders!16 Toe het ek nagedink om dit te verstaan, maar dit was moeite in my oë,17 totdat ek in die heiligdomme van God ingegaan en op hulle einde gelet het.18 Waarlik, U stel hulle op gladde plekke; U laat hulle in puin val.19 Hoe word hulle in 'n oomblik 'n voorwerp van verbasing, vergaan hulle, raak hulle tot niet deur verskrikkinge!20 Soos 'n droom nadat 'n mens wakker word, o Here, so verag U, as U opwaak, hulle beeld!21 Toe my hart bitter gestemd en ek in my niere geprikkel was,22 toe was ,k dom en het niks geweet nie; ek was 'n dier by U.23 Nogtans is ek altyddeur by U; U het my regterhand gevat.24 U sal my lei deur u raad en my daarna in heerlikheid opneem.25 Wie het ek buiten U in die hemel? Buiten U begeer ek ook niks op die aarde nie.26 Al beswyk my vlees en my hart -- God is die rots van my hart en my deel tot in ewigheid.27 Want kyk, die wat hulle ver van U af hou, vergaan; U roei almal uit wat van U afhoereer.28 Maar wat my aangaan, dit is vir my goed om naby God te wees; in die Here HERE het ek my toevlug gestel, om al u werke te vertel.