Friday, February 3, 2023

Psalm 53 To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A Contemplation of David.

 1The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;

There is none who does good.

2God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

3Every one of them has turned aside;

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And do not call upon God?

5There 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.

6Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When God brings back the captivity of His people,

Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Commentary

Vs. 1 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.

The fool here is not the simpleton, nor the uneducated, rather the fool here is everyone who denies that there is a God, the one true God who is above us all, who created us all, who rules us all, and one Day will Judge us all. Denial then of God’s Person is not without consequences, for as the Scripture reveals denial of God always leads to sin, paganism, and ultimately depravity (consider Rom. 1:18-32). That there is none who does is good is seen in the light of God’s Righteousness, for apart from Him no one can do nothing good, for everything that we do or try to do apart from Him will always be tainted by our own sins and sin nature. 

Vs. 2God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

As everyone runs around pursuing their own course of life, trying to follow their own paths, God looks down upon us all to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks God, because our lives have an end, our pursuits, our works, our dreams, our desires will all perish when we do, and if we die unreconciled to God there is then but one destiny for us then.

Vs. 3 Every one of them has turned aside;

They have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

The Psalm now warns of everyone who lives as though God does not, for on ones own one will only become corrupt and perverse in their lives and in their ways. If you think otherwise just look at the moral and societal degeneration that takes place everywhere. Thus, in denying the One true God there is none who does good, no not one, for again no one can do or stand on their own righteousness and declare their own goodness before Him. For to try to do so would be quickly proven a liar by Him.

Vs. 4-5 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And do not call upon God?

5There 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.

Truly the workers of iniquity hate us, truly they set themselves against us; because those who live righteous lives will always be an abomination to those who do not. And so in their unbelief we are only people to be abused, consumed, and devoured so they can have their full at our expense. Therefore the Scripture asks have they no knowledge who do so, do they really think that they can do so and be held guiltless by God. For their unbelief will not disavow the Judgment of God who always judges righteously in the earth. And so, in their self sufficiency and pride they do not call upon God, instead they rely on themselves and their own ways, never considering that God is always watching them and in His time, he will put them in fear, He will make them no fear where no fear was (vs. 5). For God is always the defender of His people, of everyone who believes and remains loyal to Him (vs. 6). Therefore God Himself will put them to an open shame because He Himself has despised them.

Vs. 6Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When God brings back the captivity of His people,

Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

In closing there is the cry for God's salvation to come out of Zion, for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah to come to and bring back God’s people out of their captivity, out of their bondage, and back to God Himself, on that Day Jacob will rejoice and all of Israel will be glad!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

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