Christianity

Psalms 53The Fool's Denial Revisited

Summary

Psalm 53 is a second version of Psalm 14, beginning with the fool who says in his heart there is no God. God looks down and finds no one who seeks him, and the workers of iniquity devour his people. The main difference is verse 5, which describes enemies seized by terror where there was no cause for fear and God scattering their bones. This version uses Elohim instead of the divine name, typical of Book Two.

Key verse

“God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.”

Psalms 53:2

Themes

Denial of God
Human Corruption
Sudden Terror
Hope of Salvation

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Psalm 14: The Fool Hath Said
Psalm 14 contains the same poem using the divine name LORD, with a different version of the verse about God's people and their enemies.
Judaism
Tehillim 53 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
The heading mentions Mahalath, possibly a tune or a mood of sorrow. Some medieval Jewish commentators read Psalm 14 as referring to the first destruction of Jerusalem and Psalm 53 to the second.

Questions about Psalms 53

How is Psalm 53 different from Psalm 14?

The two are nearly identical, but Psalm 53 uses Elohim instead of the divine name and replaces Psalm 14:5 to 6 with a verse about God scattering the bones of those who besieged his people.

What is the Elohistic Psalter?

Scholars use the term for Psalms 42 to 83, where the general word Elohim, God, is far more common than the divine name, apparently through editorial choice.