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Human Wickedness[a](A)

53 (B)Fools say to themselves,
    “There is no God.”
They are all corrupt,
    and they have done terrible things;
    there is no one who does what is right.

God looks down from heaven at people
    to see if there are any who are wise,
    any who worship him.
But they have all turned away;
    they are all equally bad.
Not one of them does what is right,
    not a single one.

“Don't they know?” God asks.
    “Are these evildoers ignorant?
They live by robbing my people,
    and they never pray to me.”

But then they will become terrified,
    as they have never been before,
    for God will scatter the bones of the enemies of his people.
God has rejected them,
    and so Israel will totally defeat them.

How I pray that victory
    will come to Israel from Zion.
How happy the people of Israel will be
    when God makes them prosperous again!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 HEBREW TITLE: A poem by David.

David wrote this special song for the music leader. Use the music called Mahalath.

People are wicked[a]

53 A fool thinks that there is no God.
People like that are bad.
    They do evil things.
None of them does anything that is good.
God looks down from heaven
    at the people on earth.
He wants to see if there is anyone who is really wise
    and who wants to know God.
But they have all turned away.
    They have all become evil.
Nobody does anything that is good,
    not even one person.
People who do wicked things understand nothing.
They destroy my people
    as easily as they eat bread.
They never pray to God.
But now they are very afraid
    when there is nothing to be afraid of!
God has completely won against his enemies,
    the people that attack you, his people.
God has turned against them,
    so you are able to make them ashamed!
God, you are the one who saves your people, Israel!
Leave your home in Zion
    and make your people strong again!
When God blesses his people,
Jacob's descendants will sing!
    Yes, Israel's people will be very happy![b]

Footnotes

  1. 53:1 Psalm 53 is nearly the same as Psalm 14.
  2. 53:6 Jacob's descendants and Israel's people are names for God's people. God changed Jacob's name to be ‘Israel’.

Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel(A)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A [a]Contemplation of David.

53 The (B)fool has said in his heart,
There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
(C)There is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who (D)seek God.
Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

Have the workers of iniquity (E)no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?
(F)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.

(G)Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back [b]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 53:6 Or His captive people