Psalm 53

A Portrait of Sinners

For the choir director: on Mahalath.[a](A) A Davidic Maskil.

The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.”
They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.(B)
God looks down from heaven on the human race
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.(C)
All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 Perhaps a tune, a musical instrument, or a dance; this may be related to Hb word for “sickness.”

Psalm 53

For the worship leader. A contemplative song[a] of David. A song for the dance.[b]

The foolish are convinced deep down that there is no God.
    Their souls are polluted, and they commit gross injustice.
    Not one of them does good.

From heaven the one True God examines the earth
    to see if any understand the big picture,
    if any seek to know the True God.

All have turned back to their wicked ways; they’ve become totally perverse.
    Not one of them does good,
    not even one.

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Footnotes

  1. 53:title Hebrew, maskil
  2. 53:title Hebrew, mahalath, meaning is uncertain.

For the choir director; according to mahalath,[a] a maskil by David.

53 Godless fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt.
They do disgusting things.
There is no one who does good things.
God looks down from heaven on Adam’s descendants
to see if there is anyone who acts wisely,
if there is anyone who seeks help from God.
Everyone has fallen away.
Together they have become rotten to the core.
No one, not even one person, does good things.

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Footnotes

  1. 53:0 Unknown musical term.