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Note: This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public. Some things (like capitalisation of ‘him’ referring to Jesus or ‘father’ referring to God) in the RV haven’t been decided yet so we’re still testing both ways.
Note: The Readers’ Version on the left is a translation into contemporary English aimed at the person on the street who hasn’t necessarily been brought up with exposure to Biblical jargon and/or 500-year old English. It’s designed to be used alongside the Literal Version on the right which gives the English reader a window into what’s actually written in the original languages. (See the introduction for more details—we recommend that you read the introduction first if you’re wanting to fully understand the Literal Version.) By comparing the left and right columns, you should be able to easily get the message of the text, while at the same time keeping an eye on what it was actually translated from.
Note that greyed words in the RV are words that the translators consider were most probably in the mind of the writer, but as none of us can double-check with the original speakers or writers, the reader is free to disagree. They are clearly marked because we’ve tried to be as honest and transparent as possible.
The lighter coloured words in the LV are words which aren’t needed in the grammar of the original languages but are required or implied in English. You can read the Key to learn more about them. The underlines joining words in the LV show when one original language word needs to be translated into two or more English words. (Just hide them with the button if you don’t need that information and find it distracting.) Also, the majority of sentences in the LV don’t have the words put into a sensible English order yet. (This should be completed by the end of 2023.)
See also the FAQs and the Glossary.
73:1 The need for justice
Plea for Relief from Oppressors; The Justice of God
A Psalm of Asaph.; A psalm: for Asaph; A psalm of Asaph.
73 Surely God is good to Yisrael—
to those with pure ≈motives
2 but as for me, my feet almost slipped.
My steps were caused to nearly ≈slide out from under me
3 because I was envious of arrogant >people
when I saw ≈how wicked people prosper,
4 because they ≈live without pains
and their ≈bodies are strong and healthy.
5 They are free from ≈normal human struggles,
≈and they ≈don’t suffer along with everyone else.
6 Therefore pride is a necklace for them—
violence covers them ≈like a coat.
7 Their eyes bulge out from their fatness.
≈Their heads are full of imaginative schemes.
8 They mock and speak with oppressive evil.
They speak from an elevated place.[fn]
9 They set their mouth in the heavens,
and their tongue goes through the earth.[fn]
10 Therefore his people turn here,
and full waters are drained in/by them.[fn]
11 Then they say, “How does God know?
≈≈Does the highest one notice what’s going on?”
12 Look at these wicked >people.
They’re always at ease—increasing in wealth.
13 Surely ≈I wasted my time keeping my mind pure
and washing my hands in innocence,
14 because I’ve been stricken throughout the day,
≈and punished every morning.
15 If I’d said that I’d speak like that,
wow, I would have betrayed your children’s generation.
16 And when I thought about how to understand this,
≈it was very difficult for me to figure it out
17 until I went into God’s sanctuaries,
then I discerned their end.
18 Surely you put them onto slippery places.
≈You make them fall to destruction.
19 How they are brought down to ≈nothing as in a moment.
They’re finished—they come to a terrifying end
20 My master, when you rouse yourself, you’ll despise their image,
like a dream after ≈the person wakes up.
21 When my heart was embittered,
and ≈my organs felt like they had a knife in them,
22 I was stupid and ≈ignorant.
I acted toward you like an animal.
23 Yet I’m with you continuously—
you take hold of my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you’ll receive me with honour.
25 Who ≈else do I have I in heaven to help me other than you?
≈And there’s nothing on the earth that I desire ≈more than you.
26 My ≈muscles and my heart fail,
but God is the ≈strength of my heart and my ≈fulfilment forever.
27 ≈Yes, listen, those who are far from you ≈must die.
You destroy every one who’s unfaithful to you.
28 As for me, approaching God is good for me.
I have made my master Yahweh my ≈safe place
so that I can tell everyone ≈about what you’ve done.
↑ 73 A_song of_ʼĀşāf\f + \fr 73:1 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
73.
1\f* surely is_good to_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) god to_pure_of heart.
2 And_me as_almost they_had_turned_aside\f + \fr 73:2 \ft OSHB variant note: נטוי: (x-qere) ’נָטָ֣יוּ’: lemma_5186 morph_HVqp3cp id_19KDJ נָטָ֣יוּ\f* feet_of_my as_nearly they_had_been_poured_out\f + \fr 73:2 \ft OSHB variant note: שפכה: (x-qere) ’שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ’: lemma_8210 morph_HVQp3cp id_19ATb שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ\f* steps_of_my.
3 If/because I_was_jealous in/on/at/with_arrogant the_well-being_of wicked_people I_saw.
4 If/because there_are_not pains until_death_of_they and_healthy bodies_of_their.
5 In/on/at/with_trouble_of humankind not_they and_like humankind not they_are_stricken.
6 For_so/thus/hence necklace_their pride it_covers a_garment_of violence them_them.
7 It_comes_out from_fatness eyes_of_their the_imaginations_of they_pass_over heart.
8 They_mock and_speak in/on/at/with_malice oppression from_on_high they_speak.
9 They_set in_the_heavens mouths_of_their and_tongues_of_their it_walks on_the_earth.
10 For_so/thus/hence it_turns_back\f + \fr 73:10 \ft OSHB variant note: ישיב: (x-qere) ’יָשׁ֣וּב’: lemma_7725 morph_HVqi3ms id_19h5B יָשׁ֣וּב\f* people_of_his here and_waters_of full they_are_drained in_them.
11 And_say how does_he_know god and_is_there knowledge in/on/at/with_most_high.
12 Here these are_wicked_people and_at_ease_of perpetuity they_increase wealth.
13 Surely emptiness I_have_kept_pure heart_of_my and_washed in/on/at/with_innocence hands_of_my.
14 And_been stricken all_of the_day and_punished_of_I in_the_morning.
15 If I_had_said I_will_speak like here the_generation_of children_of_your I_dealt_treacherously_with.
16 And_thought to_know this was_trouble it\f + \fr 73:16 \ft OSHB variant note: היא: (x-qere) ’ה֣וּא’: lemma_1931 morph_HPp3ms id_19kMS ה֣וּא\f* in/on/at/with_eyes_of_me.
17 Until I_went into the_sanctuari(es)_of god I_considered about_end_of_their.
18 Surely in/on/at/with_slippery_places you_set them_them fall_them to_ruin.
19 How they_have_become for_destroyed in_moment they_come_to_an_end they_are_finished from sudden_terror(s).
20 Like_dream when_awakes my_master in/on/at/with_awaking phantoms_of_their you_will_despise.
21 If/because heart_of_my it_was_embittered and_heart_of_my I_was_pierced.
22 And_I was_stupid and_not I_knew animals I_was toward_you.
23 And_I continually with_you you_take_hold in/on/at/with_hand_of right_of_my.
24 In/on/at/with_counsel_of_your guide_me and_after honour receive_me.
25 Who to_me in/on/at/with_heaven and_besides_you not I_take_pleasure in/on_the_earth.
26 flesh_of_my It_had_come_to_an_end and_heart_of_my is_the_rock_of heart_of_my and_portion_of_my god to_forever.
27 If/because there far_from_of_you they_will_perish you_destroy every_of one_who_acts_as_a_prostitute to_you.
28 And_me the_approach_of god to_me is_good I_have_made in/on/at/with_master_of YHWH refuge_of_my that_tell all_of works_of_your.
Previous Book (JOB) PSA 72 OET Book index, Intro, and Key PSA 74 Next Book (PRO) FAQs Glossary