The text of the psalm
מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים לְבָרֵי לֵבָֽב׃
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, even to such as are pure in heart.
וַאֲנִי כִּמְעַט נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי כְּאַיִן שֻׁפְּכוּ אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
כִּי־קִנֵּאתִי בַּהוֹלְלִים שְׁלוֹם רְשָׁעִים אֶרְאֶֽה׃
For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
כִּי אֵין חַרְצֻבּוֹת לְמוֹתָם וּבָרִיא אוּלָֽם׃
For there are no pangs at their death, and their body is sound.
בַּעֲמַל אֱנוֹשׁ אֵינֵמוֹ וְעִם־אָדָם לֹא יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃
In the trouble of man they are not; neither are they plagued like men.
לָכֵן עֲנָקַתְמוֹ גַאֲוָה יַעֲטָף־שִׁית חָמָס לָֽמוֹ׃
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; violence covereth them as a garment.
יָצָא מֵחֵלֶב עֵינֵמוֹ עָבְרוּ מַשְׂכִּיּוֹת לֵבָֽב׃
Their eyes stand forth from fatness; they are gone beyond the imaginations of their heart.
יָמִיקוּ וִידַבְּרוּ בְרָע עֹשֶׁק מִמָּרוֹם יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression; they speak as if there were none on high.
שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם וּלְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
לָכֵן יָשׁוּב עַמּוֹ הֲלֹם וּמֵי מָלֵא יִמָּצוּ לָֽמוֹ׃
Therefore His people return hither; And waters of fullness are drained out by them.
וְאָמְרוּ אֵיכָה יָדַע־אֵל וְיֵשׁ דֵּעָה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃
And they say: 'How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
הִנֵּה־אֵלֶּה רְשָׁעִים וְשַׁלְוֵי עוֹלָם הִשְׂגּוּ־חָֽיִל׃
Behold, such are the wicked; And they that are always at ease increase riches.
אַךְ־רִיק זִכִּיתִי לְבָבִי וָאֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּֽי׃
Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;
וָאֱהִי נָגוּעַ כָּל־הַיּוֹם וְתוֹכַחְתִּי לַבְּקָרִֽים׃
For all the day have I been plagued, And my chastisement came every morning.
אִם־אָמַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָה כְמוֹ הִנֵּה דוֹר בָּנֶיךָ בָגָֽדְתִּי׃
If I had said: 'I will speak thus', Behold, I had been faithless to the generation of Thy children.
וָאֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַעַת זֹאת עָמָל הוּא בְעֵינָֽי׃
And when I pondered how I might know this, It was wearisome in mine eyes;
עַד־אָבוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵל אָבִינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃
Until I entered into the sanctuary of God, And considered their end.
אַךְ בַּחֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁית לָמוֹ הִפַּלְתָּם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
Surely Thou settest them in slippery places; Thou hurlest them down to utter ruin.
אֵיךְ הָיוּ לְשַׁמָּה כְרָגַע סָפוּ תַמּוּ מִן־בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are wholly consumed by terrors.
כַּחֲלוֹם מֵהָקִיץ אֲדֹנָי בָּעִיר צַלְמָם תִּבְזֶֽה׃
As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when Thou arousest Thyself, Thou wilt despise their semblance.
כִּי יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי וְכִלְיוֹתַי אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃
For my heart was in a ferment, And I was pricked in my reins. .
וַאֲנִי־בַעַר וְלֹא אֵדָע בְּהֵמוֹת הָיִיתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃
But I was brutish, and ignorant; I was as a beast before Thee.
וַאֲנִי תָמִיד עִמָּךְ אָחַזְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִֽי׃
Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou holdest my right hand.
בַּעֲצָתְךָ תַנְחֵנִי וְאַחַר כָּבוֹד תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃
Thou wilt guide me with Thy counsel, And afterward receive me with glory.
מִי־לִי בַשָּׁמָיִם וְעִמְּךָ לֹא־חָפַצְתִּי בָאָֽרֶץ׃
Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And beside Thee I desire none upon earth.
כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי וּלְבָבִי צוּר־לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָֽם׃
My flesh and my heart faileth; But God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.
כִּי־הִנֵּה רְחֵקֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ הִצְמַתָּה כָּל־זוֹנֶה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
For, lo, they that go far from Thee shall perish; Thou dost destroy all them that go astray from Thee.
וַאֲנִי קִרֲבַת אֱלֹהִים לִי־טוֹב שַׁתִּי בַּאדֹנָי יְהֹוִה מַחְסִי לְסַפֵּר כָּל־מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.