<div class="version vid1849 iso6393eng" data-vid="1849" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkPSA">
        <div class="chapter ch73" data-usfm="PSA.73">
            <div class="label">73</div><div class="ms4"><span class="heading">God&#8217;s Justice</span></div><div class="d"><span class="content">Asaph&#8217;s psalm </span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="ft">  </span><span class="fr">73</span><span class="ft">  </span><span class="ft">Asaph was one of three Levites that David set over the worship of</span><span class="ft">  </span><span class="nd">Yahweh</span><span class="ft">. However, it is possible that Asaph was an office not an individual&#8212;Asaphites who were part of a prophetic company of composers. The name Asaph means &#8220;a harvest&#8221; or &#8220;fulfilled prophecy.&#8221; Asaph possibly comes from a Semitic root word for &#8220;portal.&#8221; Perhaps the Asaphites were named such because their music opened a portal into the heavenly realm.</span><span class="ft">  </span></span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="PSA.73.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">No one can deny it&#8212;God is really good to Israel</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="PSA.73.1"><span class="content">and to all those with pure hearts.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="PSA.73.1"><span class="it"><span class="content">But I nearly missed seeing it for myself</span></span><span class="content">.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="PSA.73.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">Here&#8217;s my story: I narrowly missed losing it all.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="PSA.73.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">I was stumbling over what I saw the wicked doing.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="PSA.73.3"><span class="content">For when I saw the boasters with such wealth and prosperity,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="PSA.73.3"><span class="content">I became jealous over their smug security.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5" data-usfm="PSA.73.4+PSA.73.5"><span class="label">4-5</span><span class="content">Indulging in whatever they wanted, going where they wanted,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5" data-usfm="PSA.73.4+PSA.73.5"><span class="content">doing what they wanted, and with no care in the world,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5" data-usfm="PSA.73.4+PSA.73.5"><span class="content">no pain, no problems&#8212;they seemed to have it made.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4 v5" data-usfm="PSA.73.4+PSA.73.5"><span class="content">They lived as though life would never end.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="PSA.73.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">They didn&#8217;t even try to hide their pride and opulence.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="PSA.73.6"><span class="content">Cruelty and violence are parts of their lifestyle.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PSA.73.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">Pampered and pompous, vice oozes from their souls;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PSA.73.7"><span class="content">they overflow with vanity.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PSA.73.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">They&#8217;re such snobs&#8212;looking down their noses.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PSA.73.8"><span class="content">They even scoff at God!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PSA.73.8"><span class="content">They are nothing but bullies threatening God&#8217;s people.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="PSA.73.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">They are loudmouths with no fear of God, pretending to know it all&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="PSA.73.9"><span class="content">windbags full of hot air, impressing only themselves.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="PSA.73.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">Yet the people keep coming back to listen</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="PSA.73.10"><span class="content">to more of their nonsense.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="PSA.73.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">They tell their cohorts, &#8220;God will never know.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="PSA.73.11"><span class="content">See, he has no clue of what we&#8217;re doing.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="PSA.73.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">These are the wicked ones I&#8217;m talking about!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="PSA.73.12"><span class="content">They never have to lift a finger,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="PSA.73.12"><span class="content">living a life of ease while their riches multiply.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="PSA.73.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">Have I been foolish to play by the rules and keep my life pure?</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="PSA.73.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">Here I am suffering under your discipline day after day.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="PSA.73.14"><span class="content">I feel like I&#8217;m being punished all day long.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="PSA.73.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">If I had given in to my pain and spoken of what I was really feeling,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="PSA.73.15"><span class="content">it would have sounded like unfaithfulness to the next generation.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="PSA.73.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">When I tried to understand it all, I just couldn&#8217;t.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="PSA.73.16"><span class="content">It was too puzzling&#8212;too much of a riddle to me.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="PSA.73.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="PSA.73.17"><span class="content">and in the light of glory, my distorted perspective vanished.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="PSA.73.17"><span class="content">Then I understood that the destiny of the wicked was near!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="PSA.73.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">They&#8217;re the ones who are on the slippery path,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="PSA.73.18"><span class="content">and God will suddenly let them slide off into destruction</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="PSA.73.18"><span class="content">to be consumed with terrors forever!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="PSA.73.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">It will be an instant end to all their life of ease;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="PSA.73.19"><span class="content">a blink of the eye and they&#8217;re swept away by sudden calamity!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="PSA.73.19"><span class="content">They&#8217;re all nothing more than momentary monarchs&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="PSA.73.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">soon to disappear like a dream when one awakes.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="PSA.73.20"><span class="content">When the rooster crows,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="PSA.73.20"><span class="content">Lord God, you&#8217;ll despise their life of fantasies. </span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="ft">  </span><span class="fr">73:20</span><span class="ft">  </span><span class="ft">Or &#8220;shadows.&#8221;</span><span class="ft">  </span></span></span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="PSA.73.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">When I saw all of this, what turmoil filled my heart,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="PSA.73.21"><span class="content">piercing my opinions with your truth.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="PSA.73.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="PSA.73.22"><span class="content">acting like a brute beast before you, Lord.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="PSA.73.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">Yet, in spite of all this, I still belong to you;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="PSA.73.23"><span class="content">you hold me by my right hand.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="PSA.73.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">You lead me with your secret wisdom.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="PSA.73.24"><span class="content">And following you brings me into your brightness and glory!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="PSA.73.25"><span class="label">25</span><span class="content">Whom have I in heaven but you? You&#8217;re all I want!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="PSA.73.25"><span class="content">No one on earth means as much to me as you.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="PSA.73.26"><span class="label">26</span><span class="content">Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="PSA.73.26"><span class="content">But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="PSA.73.26"><span class="content">protecting and anointing me. Forever you&#8217;re all I need!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v27" data-usfm="PSA.73.27"><span class="label">27</span><span class="content">Those who abandon the worship of God will perish.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v27" data-usfm="PSA.73.27"><span class="content">The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never heard from again.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="PSA.73.28"><span class="label">28</span><span class="content">But I&#8217;ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Yahweh</span></span><span class="content">,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="PSA.73.28"><span class="content">for your name is good to me. I&#8217;ll keep telling the world of</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="PSA.73.28"><span class="content">your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!</span></span></div>
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The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.

No one can deny it—God is really good to Israel
and to all those with pure hearts.
But I nearly missed seeing it for myself.
Here’s my story: I narrowly missed losing it all.
I was stumbling over what I saw the wicked doing.
For when I saw the boasters with such wealth and prosperity,
I became jealous over their smug security.
Indulging in whatever they wanted, going where they wanted,
doing what they wanted, and with no care in the world,
no pain, no problems—they seemed to have it made.
They lived as though life would never end.
They didn’t even try to hide their pride and opulence.
Cruelty and violence are parts of their lifestyle.
Pampered and pompous, vice oozes from their souls;
they overflow with vanity.
They’re such snobs—looking down their noses.
They even scoff at God!
They are nothing but bullies threatening God’s people.
They are loudmouths with no fear of God, pretending to know it all—
windbags full of hot air, impressing only themselves.
Yet the people keep coming back to listen
to more of their nonsense.
They tell their cohorts, “God will never know.
See, he has no clue of what we’re doing.”
These are the wicked ones I’m talking about!
They never have to lift a finger,
living a life of ease while their riches multiply.
Have I been foolish to play by the rules and keep my life pure?
Here I am suffering under your discipline day after day.
I feel like I’m being punished all day long.
If I had given in to my pain and spoken of what I was really feeling,
it would have sounded like unfaithfulness to the next generation.
When I tried to understand it all, I just couldn’t.
It was too puzzling—too much of a riddle to me.
But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God,
and in the light of glory, my distorted perspective vanished.
Then I understood that the destiny of the wicked was near!
They’re the ones who are on the slippery path,
and God will suddenly let them slide off into destruction
to be consumed with terrors forever!
It will be an instant end to all their life of ease;
a blink of the eye and they’re swept away by sudden calamity!
They’re all nothing more than momentary monarchs—
soon to disappear like a dream when one awakes.
When the rooster crows,
Lord God, you’ll despise their life of fantasies.
When I saw all of this, what turmoil filled my heart,
piercing my opinions with your truth.
I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant,
acting like a brute beast before you, Lord.
Yet, in spite of all this, I still belong to you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You lead me with your secret wisdom.
And following you brings me into your brightness and glory!
Whom have I in heaven but you? You’re all I want!
No one on earth means as much to me as you.
Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace.
But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence
protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need!
Those who abandon the worship of God will perish.
The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never heard from again.
But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord YAHWEH,
for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of
your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!

Listen to Psalms 73