The Bible: Psalms Chapter 53: with Audio and Commentary.

Version: World English Bible.

Please use the links below to select any Book and then the Chapter.

Gene Exod Levi Numb Deut Josh Judg Ruth 1Sam 2Sam 1Kin 2Kin 1Chr 2Chr Ezra Nehe Esth Job_ Psal Prov Eccl Song Isai Jere Lame Ezek Dani Hose Joel Amos Obad Jona Mica Nahu Haba Zeph Hagg Zech Mala Matt Mark Luke John Acts Roma 1Cor 2Cor Gala Ephe Phil Colo 1The 2The 1Tim 2Tim Titu Phle Hebr Jame 1Pet 2Pet 1Joh 2Joh 3Joh Jude Reve

001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018 019 020 021 022 023 024 025 026 027 028 029 030 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039 040 041 042 043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058 059 060 061 062 063 064 065 066 067 068 069 070 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079 080 081 082 083 084 085 086 087 088 089 090 091 092 093 094 095 096 097 098 099 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Psalms Chapter 53 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Mahalath." A contemplation by David.

1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.

3 Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don't call on God?

5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Footnotes

Version: World English Bible

Audio

To Listen to this Chapter

The mp3 Audio File should start to play in a new Tab. Then return to this Tab to follow the text whilst listening.

Psalms Chapter 53 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Mahalath." A contemplation by David. Guide

This psalm, with slight variations, is found in the first book (Psalms 14:1-7). Its introduction a second time necessarily leads us to notice the differences. In all probability the editor incorporated it into this book because of these very changes.

They are, first, the substitution of "God" for "Jehovah" four times. Perhaps the change was made for liturgical use in some special circumstances, in which the desire was to express praise of God as the wonder-working God. All that was true of Jehovah's knowledge of men (see Psalms 14:1-7) is true also of God's attitude toward men as the Wonder-worker. He looks on men not only as Helper, but as the supreme One. Not only do the workers of iniquity fail to discover Him as the Helper, they do not call on Him as the mighty One. The other main change is found in verse Psalms 53:5, for the exposition of which see note on Psalms 14:1-7.

From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

Psalms Chapter 53 Commentary

Chapter Outline

  1. The corruption of man by nature.

Verses 1-6

This psalm is almost the same as the 14th. The scope of it is to convince us of our sins. God, by the psalmist, here shows us how bad we are, and proves this by his own certain knowledge. He speaks terror to persecutors, the worst of sinners. He speaks encouragement to God's persecuted people. How comes it that men are so bad? Because there is no fear of God before their eyes. Men's bad practices flow from their bad principles; if they profess to know God, yet in works, because in thoughts, they deny him. See the folly of sin; he is a fool, in the account of God, whose judgment we are sure is right, that harbours such corrupt thoughts. And see the fruit of sin; to what it brings men, when their hearts are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. See also the faith of the saints, and their hope and power as to the cure of this great evil. There will come a Saviour, a great salvation, a salvation from sin. God will save his church from its enemies. He will save all believers from their own sins, that they may not be led captive by them, which will be everlasting joy to them. From this work the Redeemer had his name JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins, Mt 1:21.

From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.