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The Nearness of God Is My Good

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

² But as for me, ^(C1)my feet had almost stumbled,
My steps ^(F1)had almost slipped.

³ For I was ^(C1)envious of the boastful,
I saw the ^(C2)peace of the wicked.

⁴ For there are no pains in their death,
And their ^(F1)body is fat.

⁵ They are ^(C1)not ^(F1)in trouble as other ^(F2)men,
And they are not ^(C2)stricken along with the rest of mankind.

⁶ Therefore lofty pride is ^(C1)their necklace;
The ^(C2)garment of violence covers them.

⁷ Their eye ^(F1)bulges from ^(C1)fatness;
The delusions of their heart overflow.

⁸ They ^(C1)scoff and ^(F1)wickedly speak of oppression;
They ^(C2)speak from on high.

⁹ They have ^(C1)set their mouth ^(F1)against the heavens,
And their tongue goes through the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore ^(F1)his people return here, to his place,
And waters of ^(C1)fullness are ^(F2)drunk by them.

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

¹² Behold, ^(C1)these are the wicked;
And always ^(C2)at ease, they have increased in wealth.

¹³ Surely ^(C1)in vain I have ^(F1)kept my heart pure
And ^(C2)washed my hands in innocence;

¹⁴ For I have been stricken ^(C1)all day long
And ^(F1)(C2)reproved every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, "I will recount thus,"
Behold, I would have betrayed the ^(C1)generation of Your children.

¹⁶ When I ^(C1)gave thought to know this,
It was trouble in my sight

¹⁷ Until I came into the ^(F1)(C1)sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their ^(C2)end.

¹⁸ Surely You set them in ^(C1)slippery places;
You cause them to fall to ^(F1)(C2)destruction.

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

²⁰ Like a ^(C1)dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when ^(C2)aroused, You will ^(C3)despise their ^(F1)form.

²¹ When my ^(C1)heart was embittered
And I was ^(C2)pierced ^(F1)within,

²² Then I was ^(C1)senseless and ignorant;
I was like ^(F1)an ^(C2)animal ^(F2)before You.

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

²⁴ With Your counsel You will ^(C1)lead me,
And afterward ^(C2)take me ^(F1)in glory.

^25 (C1)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And ^(F1)besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

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

²⁷ For, behold, ^(C1)those who are far from You will ^(C2)perish;
You have ^(F1)destroyed everyone who ^(F2)(C3)is unfaithful to You.

²⁸ But as for me, ^(C1)the nearness of God is my good;
I have set Lord Yahweh as my ^(C2)refuge,
That I may ^(C3)recount all Your works.