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The End of the Wicked Contrasted with That of the Righteous.

¹ Truly God is ^(C1)good to Israel,
To those who are ^(C2)pure in heart.

² But as for me, ^(C1)my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.

³ For I was ^(C1)envious of the arrogant
As I saw the ^(C2)prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ For there are no pains in their death,
Their body is fat and pampered.

⁵ They are ^(C1)not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they ^(C2)plagued like mankind.

⁶ Therefore pride is ^(C1)their necklace;
Violence covers them like a ^(C2)garment like a long, luxurious robe.

⁷ Their eye bulges from ^(C1)fatness they have more than the heart desires;
The imaginations of their mind run riot with foolishness.

⁸ They ^(C1)mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They ^(C2)speak loftily with malice.

⁹ They ^(C1)set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue swaggers through the earth. ^(VR1)

¹⁰ Therefore his people return to this place,
And waters of ^(C1)abundance offered by the irreverent are blindly drunk by them.

¹¹ They say, "^(C1)How does God know?
Is there knowledge of us with the Most High?"

¹² Behold, ^(C1)these are the ungodly,
Who always prosper and are ^(C2)at ease in the world; they have increased in wealth.

¹³ Surely then ^(C1)in vain I have cleansed my heart
And ^(C2)washed my hands in innocence. ^(VR1)

¹⁴ For all the day long have I been ^(C1)stricken,
And ^(C2)punished every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, "I will say this," and expressed my feelings,
I would have betrayed the ^(C1)generation of Your children.

¹⁶ When I ^(C1)considered how to understand this,
It was too great an effort for me and too painful

¹⁷ Until I came into the ^(C1)sanctuary of God;
Then I understood for I considered their ^(C2)end.

¹⁸ Surely You set the wicked-minded and immoral on ^(C1)slippery places;
You cast them down to ^(C2)destruction.

¹⁹ How they are ^(C1)destroyed in a moment!
They are completely swept away by ^(C2)sudden terrors!

²⁰ Like a ^(C1)dream which seems real until one awakens,
O Lord, when ^(C2)stirred, You observe the wicked, You will ^(C3)despise their image.

²¹ When my ^(C1)heart was embittered
And I was ^(C2)pierced within as with the fang of an adder,

²² Then I was ^(C1)senseless and ignorant;
I was like a ^(C2)beast before You.

²³ Nevertheless ^(C1)I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.

²⁴ You will ^(C1)guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward ^(C2)receive me to honor and glory.

^25 (C1)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

²⁶ My ^(C1)flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the rock and strength of my heart and my ^(C2)portion forever.

²⁷ For behold, ^(C1)those who are far from You will ^(C2)perish;
You have destroyed all those who ^(C3)are unfaithful and have abandoned You.

²⁸ But as for me, it is good for me ^(C1)to draw near to God;
I have made the Lord GOD my ^(C2)refuge and placed my trust in Him,
That I may ^(C3)tell of all Your works.