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

¹ God certainly 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 ^(F1)had almost slipped.

³ For I was ^(C1)envious of the ^(F1)arrogant
As I saw the ^(C2)prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ For there are no pains in their death,
And their belly is fat.

⁵ They are ^(C1)not ^(F1)in trouble like other people,
Nor are they ^(C2)tormented together with the rest of mankind.

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

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

⁸ They ^(C1)mock 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 ^(F2)parades through the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore ^(F1)his people return here,
And ^(C1)abundant waters are drunk by them.

¹¹ They say, "^(C1)How does God know?
And is there knowledge ^(F1)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)punished every morning.

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

¹⁶ When I ^(C1)thought of understanding this,
It was ^(F1)troublesome in my sight

¹⁷ Until I entered the ^(F1)(C1)sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their ^(C2)end.

¹⁸ You indeed put them on ^(C1)slippery ground;
You dropped them into ^(F1)(C2)ruin.

¹⁹ How they are ^(F1)(C1)destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by ^(C2)sudden terrors!

²⁰ Like a ^(C1)dream when one awakes,
Lord, when ^(C2)stirred, You will ^(C3)despise their image.

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

²² Then I was ^(C1)stupid and ignorant;
I was like an ^(C2)animal ^(F1)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 plan,
And afterward ^(C2)receive me ^(F1)to glory.

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

²⁶ My ^(C1)flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the ^(F1)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 ^(F1)(C3)are unfaithful to You.

²⁸ But as for me, ^(C1)the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord ^(F1)GOD my ^(C2)refuge,
So that I may ^(C3)tell of all Your works.