Psalm 53 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Psalm 53

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt; they commit abominable acts;
there is no one who does good.(A)

2 God looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.(B)

3 They have all fallen away; they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.(C)

4 Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon God?(D)

5 There they shall be in great terror,
in terror such as has not been.
For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;[a]
they will be put to shame,[b] for God has rejected them.(E)

6 O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.(F)

Footnotes

  1. 53.5Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb him who encamps against you
  2. 53.5Gk: Heb you have put (them) to shame

Cross references

  1. 53.1 : Ps 14.1–7; Rom 3.10
  2. 53.2 : Ps 33.13
  3. 53.3 : Rom 3.12
  4. 53.4 : Jer 4.22
  5. 53.5 : Lev 26.17, 36; Ezek 6.5
  6. 53.6 : Ps 14.7