1 To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath. Maschil. Of David. The foolish man has said in his heart, God will not do anything. They are unclean, they have done evil works; there is not one who does good. 2 God was looking down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who had wisdom, searching after God. 3 Every one of them has gone back; they are unclean: there is not one who does good, no, not one. 4 Have the workers of evil no knowledge? they take my people for food, as they would take bread; they make no prayer to God. 5 They were in great fear, where there was no cause for fear: for the bones of those who make war on you have been broken by God; you have put them to shame, because God has no desire for them. 6 May the salvation of Israel come out of Zion! When the fate of his people is changed by God, Jacob will have joy, and Israel will be glad.
Psalms · Bible in Basic English
Psalm 53 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (6)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 10:4; Psalm 14:1–7; Romans 3:10–31; Luke 12:20; Romans 1:28
- 2 Isaiah 55:6; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Jeremiah 16:17; Psalm 27:8; Psalm 111:10
- 3 Romans 3:12; Isaiah 64:6; Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 14:3; Jeremiah 8:5–6
- 4 Jeremiah 4:22; Jeremiah 10:25; Psalm 27:2; Psalm 94:8; Isaiah 27:11
- 5 Proverbs 28:1; Leviticus 26:36; Jeremiah 6:30; Ezekiel 6:5; Psalm 141:7
- 6 Jeremiah 30:18; Psalm 14:7; Isaiah 12:6; Psalm 126:1–4; Isaiah 14:32
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The title of the Psalm hath: "At the end, understanding of David, when there came Doeg the Edomite and told Saul, David hath come into the house of Abimelech:" whereas we read that he had come into the house of Achimelech.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… it is said, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ;" and, by the prophet, "They who please men are put to shame, because God hath despised them;" and again, "God hath broken the bones of those who please men;" and again the apostle, "Let us not be desirous of vainglory;" and still another time, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… is again established; "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light;" and again, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." And what in consequence of this? "They are corrupt, and become abominable in their ways." And again, "The love of money is the root of all evils; which while some …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)