HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 887
PSAL M 73
page 517
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
May the mountains yield prosperity
for all,
and may the hills be fruitful.
Help him to defend the poor,
to rescue the children of the needy,
and to crush their oppressors.
May they fear you* as long as the sun
shines,
as long as the moon remains in the sky.
Yes, forever!
May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring
rain on freshly cut grass,
like the showers that water the earth.
May all the godly flourish during his reign.
May there be abundant prosperity until
the moon is no more.
May he reign from sea to sea,
and from the Euphrates River* to the
ends of the earth.
Desert nomads will bow before him;
his enemies will fall before him in
the dust.
The western kings of Tarshish and other
distant lands
will bring him tribute.
The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba
will bring him gifts.
All kings will bow before him,
and all nations will serve him.
He will rescue the poor when they cry
to him;
he will help the oppressed, who have
no one to defend them.
He feels pity for the weak and the needy,
and he will rescue them.
He will redeem them from oppression
and violence,
for their lives are precious to him.
Long live the king!
May the gold of Sheba be given to him.
May the people always pray for him
and bless him all day long.
May there be abundant grain throughout
the land,
flourishing even on the hilltops.
May the fruit trees flourish like the trees
of Lebanon,
and may the people thrive like grass in
a field.
May the king’s name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun
shines.
May all nations be blessed through him
and bring him praise.
Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does such wonderful things.
Praise his glorious name forever!
72:5 Greek version reads May they endure. 72:8 Hebrew
the river.
Let the whole earth be filled with his
glory.
Amen and amen!
20
(This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)
Book Three (Psalms 73–89)
73
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
A psalm of Asaph.
Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was
almost gone.
For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their
wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
they’re not plagued with problems like
everyone else.
They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout
the earth.
And so the people are dismayed and
confused,
drinking in all their words.
“What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what’s
happening?”
Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches
multiply.
Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no
reason?
I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your
people.
So I tried to understand why the wicked
prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of
the wicked.
Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff
to destruction.
In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.