There Is None Who Does Good

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Mahalath. A Maskil[a] of David.

53 (B)The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,[b]
    who seek after God.

They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

There they are, in great terror,
    (C)where there is no terror!
For God (D)scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  2. Psalm 53:2 Or who act wisely

Psalm 53

For the music leader, according to the mahalath. A maskil[a] of David.

53 Fools say in their hearts, There’s no God.
    They are corrupt and do horrible deeds;
        not one of them does anything good.

God looks down from heaven on humans
    to see if anyone is wise,
    to see if anyone seeks God.
But all have turned away.
    Everyone is corrupt.
    No one does good—
    not even one person!

Are they dumb—these evildoers—
        devouring my people like they are eating bread
        but never calling on God?

There, where there was nothing to fear,
    they will be in utter panic
    because God will scatter the bones
        of those who attacked you.
You will put them to shame
    because God has rejected them.

Let Israel’s salvation come out of Zion!
    When God changes
    his people’s circumstances for the better,
        Jacob will rejoice;
        Israel will celebrate!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 Perhaps instruction