1 Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone.

My steps had nearly slipped.

3 For I was envious of the arrogant,

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no struggles in their death,

but their strength is firm.

5 They are free from burdens of men,

neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck.

Violence covers them like a garment.

7 Their eyes bulge with fat.

Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

8 They scoff and speak with malice.

In arrogance, they threaten oppression.

9 They have set their mouth in the heavens.

Their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore their people return to them,

and they drink up waters of abundance.

11 They say, "How does God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?"

12 Behold, these are the wicked.

Being always at ease, they increase in riches.

13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,

and washed my hands in innocence,

14 For all day long I have been plagued,

and punished every morning.

15 If I had said, "I will speak thus",

behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

16 When I tried to understand this,

it was too painful for me—

17 until I entered God’s sanctuary,

and considered their latter end.

18 Surely you set them in slippery places.

You throw them down to destruction.

19 How they are suddenly destroyed!

They are completely swept away with terrors.

20 As a dream when one wakes up,

so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.

21 For my soul was grieved.

I was embittered in my heart.

22 I was so senseless and ignorant.

I was a brute beast before you.

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you.

You have held my right hand.

24 You will guide me with your counsel,

and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom do I have in heaven?

There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart fails,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish.

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.

28 But it is good for me to come close to God.

I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge,

that I may tell of all your 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.