A Psalm of Asaph.
TRULY God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

 

1A Psalme of Asaph. Truely God is good to Israel, euen to such as are of a cleane heart.

2But as for mee, my feete were almost gone: my steps had well-nigh slipt.

3For I was enuious at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperity of the wicked.

4For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firme.

5They are not in trouble as other men: neither are they plagued like other men.

6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chaine: violence couereth them as a garment.

7Their eies stand out with fatnes: they haue more then heart could wish.

8They are corrupt, and speake wickedly concerning oppression: they speake loftily.

9They set their mouth against the heauens; and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10Therefore his people returne hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12Behold, these are the vngodly: who prosper in the world, they increase in riches.

13Uerily I haue cleansed my heart in vaine, and washed my hands in innocencie.

14For all the day long haue I bene plagued, and chastened euery morning.

15If I say, I will speake thus: behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16When I thought to know this, it was too painfull for me,

17Untill I went into the Sanctuarie of God; then vnderstood I their end.

18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them downe into destruction.

19How are they brought into desolation as in a moment? they are vtterly consumed with terrours.

20As a dreame when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image.

21Thus my heart was greeued, and I was pricked in my reines.

22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23Neuerthelesse I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

24Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell; and afterward receiue me to glory.

25Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee.

26My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer.

27For loe, they that are farre from thee, shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that goe awhoring from thee.

28But it is good for me, to drawe neere to God: I haue put my trust in the Lord God, that I maydeclare all thy workes.

 

 

 

 

III == Job 21:7 ; Ps 37:1 ; Jer 12:1

IV == Job 21:9

 

VI == Ps 109:15

 

VII == Job 15:27 ; Ps 17:10 ; 119:70 ; Jer 5:28

VIII == Ps 53:1 ; Hos 7:16 ; 2nd Peter 2:18 ; Jude 1:16

IX == Rev 13:6

 

 

X == Ps 75:8

 

XI == Job 22:13 ; Ps 10:11 ; 94:7

 

XII == Ps 73:3

 

XIII == Job 21:15 ; 34:9 ; 35:3 ; Ps 26:6 ; Mal 3:14

 

 

XVI == Eccl 8:17

 

XVII ==Ps 37:38 ; 77:13

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Job 20:8 ; Ps 78:65 ; 90:5 ; Isa 29:7-8

XXI == Ps 73:3

 

XXII == Ps 92:6 ; Prov 30:2

 

 

 

XXIV == Ps 32:8 ; Isa 58:8

 

 

 

 

 

XXVII == Ex 34:15 ; Num 15:39

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 A psalm of Asaph. How good God is to the upright, to those who are pure of heart!

2 But, as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped,

3 Because I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For they suffer no pain; their bodies are healthy and sleek.

5 They are free of the burdens of life; they are not afflicted like others.

6 Thus pride adorns them as a necklace; violence clothes them as a robe.

7 Out of such blindness comes sin; evil thoughts flood their hearts.

8 They scoff and spout their malice; from on high they utter threats.

9 They set their mouths against the heavens, their tongues roam the earth.

10 So my people turn to them and drink deeply of their words.

11 They say, “Does God really know?”“Does the Most High have any knowledge?”

12 Such, then, are the wicked, always carefree, increasing their wealth.

13 Is it in vain that I have kept my heart pure, washed my hands in innocence?

14 For I am afflicted day after day, chastised every morning.

15 Had I thought, “I will speak as they do,” I would have betrayed this generation of your children.

16 Though I tried to understand all this, it was too difficult for me,

17 Till I entered the sanctuary of God and came to understand their end.

18 You set them, indeed, on a slippery road; you hurl them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly they are devastated; utterly undone by disaster!

20 They are like a dream after waking, Lord, dismissed like shadows when you arise.

21 Since my heart was embittered and my soul deeply wounded,

22 I was stupid and could not understand; I was like a brute beast in your presence.

23 Yet I am always with you; you take hold of my right hand.

24 With your counsel you guide me, and at the end receive me with honor.

25 Whom else have I in the heavens? None beside you delights me on earth.

26 Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the rock of my heart, my portion forever.

27 But those who are far from you perish; you destroy those unfaithful to you.

28 As for me, to be near God is my good, to make the Lord GOD my refuge. I shall declare all your works in the gates of daughter Zion.

Eleven of the 17 Psalms in this section are attributed to Asaph and only one to David. This Psalm deals with Asaph’s envy regarding the unfairness of life and how it hurts, v 16. He admits the foolishness of that feeling,v 22  and how he overcame it, v 28.

Verses 1-14 deal with his concern about the prosperity of the wicked.

Verses 1-3 he knew that God required a clean heart, but admits he almost slipped when he became envious of the prosperity of the wicked. (Solution v 17)
These verses can have another application in our lives. Once I was counseling a teenage girl who had been tempted morally. I happened to use these verses to show that if we allow uncleanness to enter our hearts, we may slip. “She responded with emphasis, “That’s me exactly. My feet had almost slipped.”

Verses 4-12. Asaph noticed the wicked didn’t seem to suffer like others, yet they are proud and violent. They speak corruptly and seem to think God doesn’t know about their sin, so they live on in prosperity.

Verses 13-20 Though Asaph had cleansed his heart, the Lord chastened him. It was all a painful thing to him until he went into the temple and spent time with God. Then he gained understanding, v 17, and realized the wicked were on a slippery place and would have sudden ultimate destruction. He had failed to look at the big picture.

Verses 21-26. Asaph admits that he was foolish to be envious of the prosperous wicked. Now, even though flesh may fail him, he looks only to God as his guide and strength. “Afterward”, we also have the hope of glory, Col. 1:27; Christ in us at present, us with Him in the future.
Verses 27,28. Unbelievers to be destroyed, believers to be safe.