12 And behold, these wicked ones prosper in this world, multiplying riches. 13 [And I said:] Have I not cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence, 14 and subjected myself to wounds all day long, and chastisement every morning? 15 But if I were to say, 'I will reason thus,' I should be guilty before the offspring of thy sons. 16 And I thought how to understand these things, but it was difficult in my eyes, 17 until I entered into the sanctuary of God, and understood their end. E-18 Yes!

Thou hast set them on slippery paths, and hast cast them into the abyss. 19 How accidentally they came to ruin, vanished, perished from terrors! 20 As a dream after waking up, so thou, O Lord, when thou awakest them, shalt destroy their dreams. 21 When my heart was boiling, and my inward parts were tormented, 22 then I was ignorant, and did not understand; I was like cattle before you.

23 But I am always with you: you hold me by the right hand; 24 Thou hast guided me by thy counsel, and afterwards thou shalt receive me into glory. 25 Who am I in heaven? and with Thee I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart are faint: God is the stronghold of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For behold, they that keep themselves away from thee perish; Thou destroyest every one who departs from Thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God! In the Lord God I have placed my trust, to declare all thy works [in the gate of the daughter of Zion]. Psalm 73 The Teaching of Asaph. 1 Wherefore, O God, hath cast us away for ever? Is Thy wrath kindled against the sheep of Thy pasture? 2 Remember Thy assembly, which Thou hast acquired of old, Thou hast redeemed into a rod of Thy inheritance, this Mount Zion, on which Thou hast rejoiced.

3 Move Thy feet to the ruins of the ages: the enemy hath destroyed all things in the sanctuary. 4 Thy enemies roar in the midst of thy assemblies; they have put their signs in place of our signs; 5 showed themselves to be like one lifting up an axe on the intertwined branches of a tree; 6 and now all the carvings in it have been destroyed at one time with axes and reeds; 7 they have set fire to thy sanctuary; they have utterly defiled the dwelling place of thy name; 8 And they said in their hearts, 'Let us destroy them utterly,' and they burned all the places of assembly of God on the earth.

9 We do not see our signs, there is no longer a prophet, and there is no one with us who knows how long these things will be. 10 How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach? Shall the adversary forever blaspheme Thy name? 11 Why do you turn away your hand and your right hand? Out of the midst of Thy bosom smite them. 12 O God, my King from everlasting, who worketh salvation in the midst of the earth! 13 Thou hast parted the sea by Thy power, Thou hast broken the heads of the serpents in the waters; 14 Thou hast broken the head of the leviathan, thou hast given it for food to the people of the wilderness, [Ethiopians]; 15 Thou hast cut out the fountain and the stream, Thou hast dried up the mighty rivers.

16 Thy day and thy night: Thou hast prepared the lights and the sun; 17 Thou hast established all the boundaries of the earth, Thou hast established summer and winter. 18 Remember, then, the enemy blasphemes the Lord, and foolish men blaspheme your name. 19 Thou shalt not give up to the beasts the soul of thy turtledove; do not forget the assembly of Thy poor forever. 20 Look upon thy covenant; for all the dark places of the earth are filled with dwellings of violence.

21 Let not the oppressed return to shame; let the poor and the needy praise Thy name. 22 Arise, O God, defend thy cause, remember thy daily reproach from the fool; 23 Do not forget the cry of your enemies; the noise of those who rise up against Thee is constantly rising. Glory: Psalm 74 1 To the Choir Leader. Do not ruin. Psalm of Asaph. Canto. 2 We praise thee, O God, we praise thee, for thy name is near; declare Thy wonders.

3 "When I choose the time, I will execute judgment in righteousness. 4 The earth is shaken, and all that dwell in it: I will establish its pillars." 5 I say to the fools, "Do not be foolish," and to the wicked, "Do not lift up your horns, 6 do not lift up your horns, [do not] speak [against God] with a stiff-necked voice," 7 for it is not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the wilderness, 8 but God is the judge: he humbles the one, and exalts the other; 9 for the cup is in the hand of the Lord, the wine boils in it, full of confusion, and he pours out of it.

Even its yeast will squeeze and drink all the wicked lands. 10 But I will proclaim for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob, 11 I will break all the horns of the wicked, and the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. Psalm 75:1 To the Choir Leader. On string instruments. Psalm of Asaph. Canto. 2 God is known in Judea; His name is great with Israel. 3 And his dwelling place was in Salem, and his sojourn in Zion.

4 There he broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and the sword, and the battle. 5 Thou art glorious, mightier than the ravenous mountains. 6 Those who are strong in heart have become prey, they have fallen asleep in their sleep, and all men have not found the strength of their hands. 7 Because of thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse slumbered. 8 Thou art terrible, and who shall stand before Thy face in the time of Thy wrath? 9 From heaven thou hast proclaimed judgment; the earth was afraid, and was quiet, 10 when God arose in judgment to save all the oppressed of the earth.

11 And the wrath of men shall be turned to thy glory: thou shalt tame the remnant of wrath. 12 Make and make vows to the Lord your God; let all who are around him bring gifts to the Dreadful One: 13 He tames the spirit of princes, He is terrible to the kings of the earth. Psalm 76 1 To the head of the choir of Idithum. Psalm of Asaph. 2 My voice is to God, and I will cry out; my voice is to God, and He will hear me.

3 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; my hand is stretched out in the night, and does not go down; My soul refuses consolation. 4 I remember God, and tremble; I think, and my spirit faints. 5 Thou wilt not let me close my eyes; I'm shocked and I can't speak. 6 I meditate on the days of old, on the years of ages past; 7 I remember my songs in the night, I converse with my heart, and my spirit is tried: 8 Has the Lord rejected me for ever, and will it be no more well pleased?

9 Has his mercy ceased for ever, and his word is cut off for generations and generations? 10 Has God forgotten to have mercy? Did He shut up His mercies in anger? 11 And I said, 'This is my woe, the change of the right hand of the Most High.' 12 I will remember the works of the Lord; I will remember Thy ancient wonders; 13 I will take heed to all thy works, to meditate on thy great works. 14 God! holy is thy way. Who is God so great as [our] God!