Psalms

PSALM 53^*

A Lament over Widespread Corruption

1For the leader; according to Mahalath. A maskil of David.

I

2The fool says in his heart,^a

“There is no God.”^b

They act corruptly and practice injustice;

there is none that does good.

3God looks out from the heavens

upon the children of Adam,^c

To see if there is a discerning person^d

who is seeking God.

4All have gone astray;

each one is altogether perverse.

There is not one who does what is good, not even one.^e

II

5^fDo they not know better, those who do evil,

who feed upon my people as they feed upon bread?^g

Have they not called upon God?

6They are going to fear his name with great fear,

though they had not feared it before.

For God will scatter the bones

of those encamped against you.

They will surely be put to shame,

for God has rejected them.

III

7Who will bring forth from Zion

the salvation of Israel?

When God reverses the captivity of his people

Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad.^h

* [Psalm 53] A lament of an individual, duplicated in Ps 14, except that “God” is used for “the LORD,” and Ps 53:6 is different, cf. Ps 14.

a. [53:2–6a] Ps 14:1–5a.

b. [53:2] Ps 10:4; 36:2; Is 32:6; Jer 5:12.

c. [53:2b–3] Rom 3:11–12.

d. [53:3] Ps 11:4; 102:20.

e. [53:4] Ps 12:2.

f. [53:5] Ps 79:6.

g. [53:5] Ps 27:2; Is 9:11.

h. [53:7] Ps 85:2.