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Psalms 53

BSB·6 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1The foolנָבָ֣לnā·ḇāl — foolish, senseless person; moral depravityH5036 — Full Word Study → saysאָ֘מַ֤ר’ā·mar — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study → in his heartבְּ֭לִבּוֹbə·lib·bōw — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study →, “There is no Godאֱלֹהִ֑ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →.” They are corruptהִֽ֝שְׁחִ֗יתוּhiš·ḥî·ṯū — to destroy, ruin, or corruptH7843 — Full Word Study →; their waysוְהִֽתְעִ֥יבוּwə·hiṯ·‘î·ḇū — to abhor, regard with disgust or loathingH8581 — Full Word Study → are vileעָ֝֗וֶל‘ā·wel — Moral evil, wickedness, unrighteousnessH5766 — Full Word Study →. There is noאֵ֣ין’ên — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → one who doesעֹֽשֵׂה־‘ō·śêh- — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → goodטֽוֹב׃ṭō·wḇ — good, beneficial, pleasing, wellH2896 — Full Word Study →. 2Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים’ĕlō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → looks downהִשְׁקִ֪יףhiš·qîp̄ — to look out, gaze upon, appearH8259 — Full Word Study → from heavenמִשָּׁמַיִם֮miš·šā·ma·yim — The heavens; sky; dwelling place of GodH8064 — Full Word Study → uponעַֽל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → the sonsבְּנֵ֫יbə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → of menאָדָ֥ם’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study → to seeלִ֭רְאוֹתlir·’ō·wṯ — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study → if anyהֲיֵ֣שׁhă·yêš — there is, exists, has beingH3426 — Full Word Study → understandמַשְׂכִּ֑ילmaś·kîl — To act wisely; to understand, prosper, or give skillH7919 — Full Word Study →, if any seekדֹּ֝רֵ֗שׁdō·rêš — to seek, inquire, search diligentlyH1875 — Full Word Study → Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →. 3Allכֻּלּ֥וֹkul·lōw — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → have turned awayסָג֮sāḡ — to turn back, withdraw, or turn awayH5472 — Full Word Study →, they have togetherיַחְדָּ֪וyaḥ·dāw — together, united, as oneH3162 — Full Word Study → become corruptנֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּne·’ĕ·lā·ḥū — to corrupt, defile, become filthyH444 — Full Word Study →; there is noאֵ֤ין’ên — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → one who doesעֹֽשֵׂה־‘ō·śêh- — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → goodט֑וֹבṭō·wḇ — good, beneficial, pleasing, wellH2896 — Full Word Study →, notאֵ֝֗ין’ên — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → evenגַּם־gam- — also, even, moreover, both...andH1571 — Full Word Study → oneאֶחָֽד׃’e·ḥāḏ — One; unity; single; firstH259 — Full Word Study →. 4Will the workersפֹּ֤עֲלֵ֫יpō·‘ă·lê — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study → of iniquityאָ֥וֶן’ā·wen — Evil, wickedness, iniquity, or worthlessnessH205 — Full Word Study → neverהֲלֹ֥אhă·lō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → learnיָדְעוּ֮yā·ḏə·‘ū — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study →? They devourאֹכְלֵ֣י’ō·ḵə·lê — to eat, consume, devourH398 — Full Word Study → my peopleעַ֭מִּי‘am·mî — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → like breadלֶ֑חֶםle·ḥem — Bread; food; sustenanceH3899 — Full Word Study →; they refuseלֹ֣אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → to callקָרָֽאוּ׃qā·rā·’ū — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study → upon Godאֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →. 5There they areשָׁ֤ם׀šām — There, in that placeH8033 — Full Word Study →, overwhelmedפָּֽחֲדוּ־pā·ḥă·ḏū- — to fear, dread, or be afraidH6342 — Full Word Study → with dreadפַחַד֮p̄a·ḥaḏ — dread, terror, overwhelming fearH6343 — Full Word Study →, where there was nothingלֹא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → to fearפָ֥חַדp̄ā·ḥaḏ — dread, terror, overwhelming fearH6343 — Full Word Study →. Forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → Godאֱלֹהִ֗ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → has scatteredפִּ֭זַּרpiz·zar — to scatter, disperse, spread abroadH6340 — Full Word Study → the bonesעַצְמ֣וֹת‘aṣ·mō·wṯ — bone; body; substance; strengthH6106 — Full Word Study → of those who besieged youחֹנָ֑ךְḥō·nāḵ — to pitch a tent; to camp; to dwellH2583 — Full Word Study →. You put them to shameהֱ֝בִשֹׁ֗תָהhĕ·ḇi·šō·ṯāh — to be ashamed; to feel shame or disgraceH954 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → Godאֱלֹהִ֥ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → has despised themמְאָסָֽם׃mə·’ā·sām — to reject, despise, or spurn with contemptH3988 — Full Word Study →. 6Oh, thatמִ֥יmî — who? what person?H4310 — Full Word Study → the salvationיְשֻׁע֪וֹתyə·šu·‘ō·wṯ — Deliverance, salvation, rescue from dangerH3444 — Full Word Study → of Israelיִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥לyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → would comeיִתֵּ֣ןyit·tên — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → from Zionמִצִּיּוֹן֮miṣ·ṣî·yō·wn — The Lord's MountainH6726 — Full Word Study →! When Godאֱ֭לֹהִים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → restoresבְּשׁ֣וּבbə·šūḇ — to turn back, return, restoreH7725 — Full Word Study → His captiveשְׁב֣וּתšə·ḇūṯ — Captivity, exile, or the state of being taken captiveH7622 — Full Word Study → peopleעַמּ֑וֹ‘am·mōw — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study →, let Jacobיַ֝עֲקֹ֗בya·‘ă·qōḇ — He grasps the heelH3290 — Full Word Study → rejoiceיָגֵ֥לyā·ḡêl — to rejoice, be glad, exultH1523 — Full Word Study →, let Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → be gladיִשְׂמַ֥חyiś·maḥ — To rejoice, be glad, make merryH8055 — Full Word Study →!
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 53
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 53 is nearly identical to Psalm 14, presenting a sobering diagnosis of human spiritual condition and rebellion against God. The psalmist opens with the declaration that foolishness and godlessness have corrupted all mankind, yet he anchors his confidence in God's sovereignty and justice. This psalm moves from identifying universal human depravity to celebrating God's ultimate deliverance of His people, reminding us that despite widespread unbelief and sin, the Lord remains vigilant, righteous, and committed to the salvation of His chosen ones.

Verses 1–3: The Universal Condition of Human Sinfulness

The psalmist begins with a piercing observation: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." This is not merely intellectual atheism but spiritual foolishness—a deliberate rejection of God rooted in the human heart. The phrase "in his heart" emphasizes that such denial is not reasoned argument but willful preference to live without God's authority. The corruption described is comprehensive: they are "corrupt," they have "done abominable iniquity," and crucially, "there is none that doeth good."

Verses 2–3 deepen this indictment. God, from His heavenly throne, gazes down to see if anyone understands or seeks Him—and the verdict is universal disappointment. "Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." This echoes the apostle Paul's citation of this very passage in Romans 3:10–12 to establish that all humanity, apart from God's grace, stands guilty before Him. There is no neutral ground; all have turned away.

Application: This passage confronts us with the reality of sin's universal reach. It should humble us, reminding us that we cannot boast of our own righteousness, and that our salvation is entirely dependent on God's mercy, not our merit.

Verses 4–5: God's Knowledge and Justice

Having proclaimed human depravity, the psalmist shifts focus to God's response. "Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?" This rhetorical question suggests that the wicked persist in their evil despite the evidence of God's existence and power all around them. They devour God's people "as they eat bread," treating violence and oppression as casual, everyday acts. Yet their carelessness betrays a fatal blindness: "they have not called upon God."

But God is not passive. Verse 5 announces His vindication: "There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee." The enemies of God's people, filled with terror at His intervention, find their schemes dismantled. God scatters their strength and "hath despised them," rendering their opposition futile. This assures the faithful that opposition to God's purposes is ultimately vain.

Application: When we face opposition or persecution for our faith, this passage reassures us that God is fully aware, fully righteous, and actively working on behalf of His people. Our enemies may seem powerful, but they are nothing before the Lord's judgment.

Verse 6: The Hope of Salvation

The psalm concludes with a prayer of longing: "Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!" The psalmist expresses deep desire for God's deliverance—not mere political restoration, but spiritual salvation originating from Zion, God's holy dwelling place. "When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." This looks beyond temporal circumstances to ultimate redemption and restoration, when God's people are fully liberated and restored to blessing.

Application: This closing prayer teaches us to unite our personal faith with corporate hope. We pray not only for personal salvation but for the final redemption of all God's people and the triumph of His kingdom.

Application for Today

Psalm 53 calls believers to realism about human nature while maintaining radical confidence in God's justice and salvation. In a culture that celebrates human potential and self-improvement, this psalm reminds us that true hope lies not in ourselves but in the God who sees all, judges all, and saves His people completely. Let us reject spiritual foolishness, embrace God's truth, and await His final redemption with joyful anticipation.

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