Psalm 53

A Portrait of Sinners

For the choir director: on Mahalath.(A) A Maskil of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”
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[a]
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)

Will evildoers never understand?
They consume my people as they consume bread;(E)
they do not call on God.(F)
Then they will be filled with dread—
dread like no other(G)
because God will scatter
the bones of those who besiege you.(H)
You will put them to shame,
for God has rejected them.(I)

Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,[b]
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 53:2 Or the descendants of Adam
  2. 53:6 Or restores his captive people

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