Psalms 72

¹A Psalm of Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to those who are upright in heart.

²But my feet were nearly moved; my steps had nearly slipped.

³For I was zealous over the iniquitous, seeing the peacefulness of sinners.

⁴For they have no respect for their death, nor do they have support in their wounds.

⁵They are not with the hardships of men, nor will they be scourged with men.

⁶Therefore, arrogance has held on to them. They have been covered with their iniquity and impiety.

⁷Their iniquity has proceeded, as if from fat. They have parted from the affection of the heart.

⁸They have thought and spoken wickedness. They have spoken iniquity in high places.

⁹They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has traversed the earth.

¹⁰Therefore, my people will be converted here, and fullness of days will be found in them.

¹¹And they said, “How would God know?” and, “Isn’t there knowledge in high places?”

¹²Behold, these are sinners, and, abounding in this age, they have obtained riches.

¹³And I said: So then, it is without purpose that I have justified my heart and washed my hands among the innocent.

¹⁴And I have been scourged all day long, and I have received my chastisement in the mornings.

¹⁵If I were to say that I would explain this: Behold, I would condemn this nation of your sons.

¹⁶I considered, so that I might know this. It is a hardship before me,

¹⁷until I may enter into the Sanctuary of God, and understand it to its last part.

¹⁸So, because of deceitfulness, truly, you have placed it before them. While they were being lifted up, you were casting them down.

¹⁹How have they been brought to desolation? They have suddenly failed. They have perished because of their iniquity.

²⁰As a dream is to those who awaken, O Lord, so will you reduce their image to nothing in your city.

²¹For my heart has been inflamed, and my temperament has been changed.

²²And so, I have been reduced to nothing, and I did not know it.

²³I have become like a beast of burden to you, and I am always with you.

²⁴You have held my right hand. And in your will, you have conducted me, and with your glory, you have taken me up.

²⁵For what is there for me in heaven? And what do I wish for on earth before you?

²⁶My body has failed, and my heart: O God of my heart, and God my portion, into eternity.

²⁷For behold, those who put themselves far from you will perish. You have perished all those who fornicate away from you.

²⁸But it is good for me to adhere to God, to put my hope in the Lord God, so that I may announce all your prophecies, at the gates of the daughter of Zion.

Psalms 72

¹Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.

²He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

³The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

⁴He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

⁵They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

⁶He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

⁷In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

⁸He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

⁹They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

¹⁰The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

¹¹Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

¹²For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

¹³He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

¹⁴He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

¹⁵And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

¹⁶There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

¹⁷His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

¹⁸Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

¹⁹And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

²⁰The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.