1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
i have been trying to read through the Bible for several years now, reading a chapter or two a day. i havent gotten very far in those year's time but im giving it all i have. i just happened to be on this chapter last night, its one of those chapters that you just feel like God placed there purposely. i really needed to hear that right now. because... like it starts out, i know that God is good to those who follow him. but it doesnt always seem that way in my own life. i try and try, and it just doesnt work out right, i mean im never perfect, and i struggle with a lot of things. i was that person that almost slipped though, but its happened over a period of time.. just slowly but surely.. the way most bad things come about. because it seems like the people who never do good or act like God would want them to always get there way, they are always the rich people or the popular people. and its hard not to just fall in with everyone else because you see how easy they have it. it talks about that in the verses up there. but then it turns right around and says that they will be the ones to be destroyed. their time will come when all wont be so nice and fancy and good for them anymore. and when that day comes, the people that have been faithful to God will be the ones to prevail. that kind of helps to put it all in perspective for me. maybe if i just hold on a little longer. this quote that Caroline had on her xanga helps me to never give up too..
-When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.
and this one..
-Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.
hmm. so i hope maybe this helped some of yall as it helped me. i guess you kind of have to know what i was going through at that time too and i guess i still am too even though that helped clear up most of it.
oh and xanga officially sucks now. | 
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