Day 115, 24 April 2024

1) Psalms 73, 77, 78

PSALMS 73

BOOK THREE
Psalms 73-89

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) But as for me, my feet almost stumbled;
my steps had almost slipped.
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) For I was envious at the boastful;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) For there are no pains in their death;
their bodies are fat.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) They are not in trouble as other people;
nor are they plagued like others.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) Their eyes bulge with fatness;
they have more than a heart could wish.
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) They mock and speak with evil oppression;
they speak loftily.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) They set their mouth against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Therefore people turn to them,
and abundant waters are drunk by them.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) They say, "How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?"
12 Observe, these are the wicked, always at ease;
they increase in riches.
13 Surely I have kept my heart pure for nothing,
and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I am plagued,
and chastened every morning.
15 If I said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought to understand this,
it was troublesome in my eyes,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their end.
18 Surely You have set them in slippery places;
You have brought them down to ruin.
19 How they come to desolation, as in a moment!
They have come to an end, utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
so, O Lord, when You awake,
You will despise their form.
21 Thus my heart was embittered,
and I was pierced in my feelings.
22 I was a brute and did not understand;
I was as a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have held me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fails,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 For those who are far from You will perish;
You destroy everyone who is unfaithful to You.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have taken my refuge in the Lord God,
that I may declare all Your works.

Psalm 73
[1] 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.

PSALMS 77

For the Music Director. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
1 I cried out to God with my voice,
even to God with my voice; and He listened to me.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out and does not weary,
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) I remember God, and I groan;
I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) I have considered the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) May I remember my song in the night;
may I meditate in my heart;
my spirit made a diligent search:
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) "Will the Lord cast off forever,
and will He be favorable no more?
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) Has His mercy ceased forever,
and have His promises failed for all time?
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Has God forgotten to be gracious,
and has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?" Selah
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Then I said, "This is my grief;
yet I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) I will remember the works of the Lord;
surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate also on all Your work
and ponder on Your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holiness;
what god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who can do wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the nations.
15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 The waters saw You, O God.
The waters saw You; they were afraid;
the depths also trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies thundered.
Your arrows flashed about.
18 The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind,
and Your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way is through the sea,
and Your path in the great waters,
and your footsteps are not seen.
20 You led Your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 77
[1] I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave
ear unto me.
[2] In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night,
and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
[3] I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was
overwhelmed. Selah.
[4] Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
[5] I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
[6] I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own
heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
[7] Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
[8] Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
[9] Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender
mercies? Selah.
[10] And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the
right hand of the most High.
[11] I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy
wonders of old.
[12] I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
[13] Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
[14] Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength
among the people.
[15] Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and
Joseph. Selah.
[16] The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the
depths also were troubled.
[17] The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows
also went abroad.
[18] The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened
the world: the earth trembled and shook.
[19] Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy
footsteps are not known.
[20] Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

PSALMS 78

A Contemplative Maskil of Asaph.
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter insightful sayings of old,
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) which we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8 )We will not hide them from their children,
but will tell the coming generation
the praises of the Lord,
and His strength, and the wonderful works that He has done.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) For He established a rule in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel,
which He commanded our fathers
that they should make them known to their children,
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) that the generation to come might know them,
even the children who are not yet born,
who will arise and declare them to their children:
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) that they might set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep His commandments,
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) and they might not be as their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that did not set their heart steadfast,
and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) The people of Ephraim, being armed with bows,
turned back in the day of battle.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) They did not keep the covenant of God
and refused to walk in His law;
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) and they forgot His works
and the wonders that He had shown them.
12 In the sight of their ancestors He did marvelous wonders
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through,
and He made the waters to stand as a heap.
14 In the daytime He led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them abundance to drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams out of the rock
and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 They sinned yet more against Him
by provoking the Most High in the wilderness.
18 They tested God in their heart
by demanding the food that they craved.
19 They spoke against God by saying,
"Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, He struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out
and the streams overflowed.
Can He give bread
or provide meat for His people?"
21 Therefore the Lord heard this and was full of wrath;
a fire was kindled against Jacob,
and anger also came up against Israel,
22 because they did not believe in God
nor trust in His deliverance.
23 Yet He had commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven,
24 and He rained down manna upon them to eat
and gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Man ate the food of mighty angels;
He sent them bread in abundance.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens,
and by His power He brought out a south wind.
27 He rained meat on them as dust,
and winged birds as the sand of the sea;
28 and He let them fall in the midst of their camp
all around their habitations.
29 So they ate and were satisfied,
for He gave them their own desire;
30 while they were not yet filled up,
and while the meat was still in their mouths,
31 the wrath of God came upon them,
and He killed the strongest of them
and struck down the young men of Israel.
32 For all this they sinned still,
and did not believe despite His wondrous works.
33 Therefore He made their days vanish like a breath,
and their years in trouble.
34 When He killed them, then they sought Him;
they turned back and longed for God.
35 They remembered that God was their rock,
and the Most High God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth,
and they lied to Him with their tongues;
37 for their heart was not devoted to Him,
neither were they committed to His covenant.
38 But He being full of compassion
forgave their iniquity
and did not destroy them.
He constantly restrained His anger,
and did not stir up all His wrath;
39 for He remembered that they were but flesh,
like a wind that passes away and does not return.
40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness
and grieved Him in the desert!
41 Yes, they tested God over and over,
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember His power,
nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy,
43 how He had performed His signs in Egypt
and His wonders in the fields of Zoan:
44 and He turned their rivers into blood,
so that they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave also their crops to the grasshopper
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamore trees with frost.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger,
wrath, indignation, and trouble,
by sending angels bringing disaster.
50 He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare them from death,
but gave their lives over to the plague,
51 And struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 Then He led out His own people like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid,
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 He brought them to the border of His holy land,
to the mountain that His right hand had acquired.
55 He cast out the nations also before them,
and divided for them their tribal allotments,
and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
and did not keep His commands,
57 but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
they turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places
and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 When God heard this, He was full of wrath
and greatly rejected Israel
60 so that He left the tabernacle at Shiloh,
the tent where He lived among people,
61 and delivered His strength to captivity
and His glory into the enemy's hand.
62 He gave His people over also to the sword;
He was enraged with His inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men,
and their maidens were not given to marriage in song.
64 Their priests fell by the sword,
and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep,
and like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
66 He routed His enemies back,
and He made them a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover, He rejected the tent of Joseph,
and He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loves.
69 He built His sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth that He has established perpetually.
70 He chose David His servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from following the nursing ewes He brought him
to shepherd Jacob His people,
and Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart
and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.