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Folly and Wickedness of Men.

To the Chief Musician; in a mournful strain. A skillful song, or didactic or reflective poem of David.

53 The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt and evil, and have committed repulsive injustice;
There is no one who does good.

God has looked down from heaven upon the children of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God [who requires Him, who longs for Him as essential to life].

Every one of them has turned aside and fallen away;
Together they have become filthy and corrupt;
There is no one who does good, no, not even one.(A)


Have workers of wickedness no knowledge or no understanding?
They eat up My people as though they ate bread
And have not called upon God.

There they were, in great terror and dread, where there had been no terror or dread;
For God scattered the bones of him who besieged you;
You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores [the fortunes of] His people,
Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Foolishness and Wickedness of People.

For the music director; according to [a]Mahalath. A [b]Maskil of David.

53 (A)The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
(B)There is no one who does good.
God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind
To see if there is (C)anyone who [c]understands,
Who (D)seeks after God.
(E)Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

Have the workers of injustice (F)no knowledge,
Who eat up My people like they ate bread,
And have not called upon God?
They were in great [d]fear there, (G)where no [e]fear had been;
For God (H)scattered the bones of [f]him who encamped against you;
You (I)put them to shame, because (J)God had rejected them.
Oh, that (K)the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53 Title I.e., sickness, a sad tone
  2. Psalm 53 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  3. Psalm 53:2 Or acts wisely
  4. Psalm 53:5 Or dread
  5. Psalm 53:5 Or dread
  6. Psalm 53:5 Or possibly those