Psalm 53

New International Version

Psalm 53^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[b] A maskil^[c] of David.

¹The fool^(B) says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(C)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²God looks down from heaven^(D)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(E)
    any who seek God.^(F)
³Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(G)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(H)
God scattered the bones^(I) of those who attacked you;^(J)
    you put them to shame,^(K) for God despised them.^(L)

⁶Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Footnotes

Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

1 Samuel 15:24-31

New International Version

²⁴Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.^(A) I violated^(B) the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid^(C) of the men and so I gave in to them. ²⁵Now I beg you, forgive^(D) my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

²⁶But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected^(E) the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

²⁷As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,^(F) and it tore.^(G) ²⁸Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn^(H) the kingdom^(I) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.^(J) ²⁹He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie^(K) or change^(L) his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

³⁰Saul replied, “I have sinned.^(M) But please honor^(N) me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” ³¹So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

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Luke 6:43-45

New International Version

A Tree and Its Fruit^(A)

⁴³“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(B) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(C)

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