Psalms

PSALM 53^*

A Lament over Widespread Corruption

I

“There is no God.”^b

They act corruptly and practice injustice;

there is none that does good.

upon the children of Adam,^c

To see if there is a discerning person^d

who is seeking God.

each one is altogether perverse.

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

II

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

Have they not called upon God?

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

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.