Psalms 73 (MSG)

¹An Asaph psalm No doubt about it! God is good— good to good people, good to the good-hearted.

²But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness.

³I was looking the other way, looking up to the people

⁴At the top, envying the wicked who have it made,

⁵Who have nothing to worry about, not a care in the whole wide world.

⁶Pretentious with arrogance, they wear the latest fashions in violence,

⁷Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness.

⁸They jeer, using words to kill; they bully their way with words.

⁹They're full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace.

¹⁰People actually listen to them—can you believe it? Like thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.

¹¹What's going on here? Is God out to lunch? Nobody's tending the store.

¹²The wicked get by with everything; they have it made, piling up riches

¹³I've been stupid to play by the rules; what has it gotten me?

¹⁴A long run of bad luck, that's what— a slap in the face every time I walk out the door.

¹⁵If I'd have given in and talked like this, I would have betrayed your dear children.

¹⁶Still, when I tried to figure it out, all I got was a splitting headache...

¹⁷Until I entered the sanctuary of God. Then I saw the whole picture:

¹⁸The slippery road you've put them on, with a final crash in a ditch of delusions.

¹⁹In the blink of an eye, disaster! A blind curve in the dark, and—nightmare!

²⁰We wake up and rub our eyes... . Nothing. There's nothing to them. And there never was.

²¹When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy,

²²I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence.

²³I'm still in your presence, but you've taken my hand.

²⁴You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me.

²⁵You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth!

²⁶When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful.

²⁷Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again.

²⁸But I'm in the very presence of God— oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home. God, I'm telling the world what you do!