Psalms 53:1

1 To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Mahalath.' A Contemplation of David. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.

Psalms 53:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 53:1

The fool hath said in his heart, [there is] no God
The Targum adds, "of whom is revenge"; or there is no God to punish and avenge the wicked;

corrupt are they;
the Chaldee paraphrase is, "the wicked have corrupted their ways"; as all flesh had done in the old world, ( Genesis 6:12 ) ;

and have done abominable iniquity;
iniquity is the abominable thing that God hates, and makes men abominable in his sight; in ( Psalms 11:1 ) , it is read, "abominable worlds": the Targum paraphrases the words, "they are far from good, for iniquity is found in them"; see ( Revelation 21:8 Revelation 21:27 ) ;

[there is] none that doeth good; (See Gill on Psalms 14:1).

Psalms 53:1 In-Context

1 To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Mahalath.' A Contemplation of David. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

3 Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon God?

5 There they are 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 despised them.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Maschil