Psalms 53 Study Notes: The Fool Who Denies God
David describes the fool who inwardly denies God and the corruption of all humanity, since God finds no one who seeks Him or does good. Evildoers who prey on God's people are struck with terror, and the psalm ends longing for salvation to come from Zion.
General
True or False: According to 53:5, the evildoers were overcome with terror even when nothing threatened them.
Answer: True
This is true. The psalmist says the evildoers who devour God's people as if eating bread and refuse to call on God (53:4) are seized with terror where nothing frightening exists (53:5). God strewed the bones of the enemies who besieged His people and brought them to disgrace, because God has rejected them. God can send panic on His enemies without any visible cause. The law warned that God would make the disobedient run from enemies who were not even chasing them (Leviticus 26:36), and Proverbs says the wicked run away though nobody chases them, while the righteous are bold (Proverbs 28:1).
- Psalm 53:4-5 (BSB)“Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon God. There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.”The evildoers are struck with dread where there was nothing to fear.
- Leviticus 26:36 (BSB)“As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.”God warned He would send groundless terror on the disobedient.
- Proverbs 28:1 (BSB)“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”The wicked flee though no one chases them.
Theological
True or False: 53:5 describes the enemies of God's people as seized with dread although nothing gave cause for fear.
Answer: True
This is true. The evildoers who consume God's people and do not call upon Him (53:4) are overwhelmed by dread with no cause for fear, and God scatters the bones of the besiegers and puts them to shame, since He has rejected them (53:5). Terror sent by God needs no visible source. The covenant curses threatened the same groundless flight (Leviticus 26:36), and Proverbs 28:1 contrasts the fleeing wicked with the lion-like boldness of the righteous.
- Psalm 53:4-5 (BSB)“Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon God. There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.”The evildoers are struck with dread where there was nothing to fear.
- Leviticus 26:36 (BSB)“As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.”God warned He would send groundless terror on the disobedient.
- Proverbs 28:1 (BSB)“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”The wicked flee though no one chases them.
General
What lies at the root of the fool's corruption described in 53:1?
Answer: He lives as though God does not exist
Psalm 53 begins with the fool who inwardly tells himself that God does not exist (53:1). In the Bible a fool is not someone lacking intelligence but someone who rejects God. The denial is a matter of the heart, and it shows in conduct: such people are corrupt, they act in detestable ways, and none of them does good (53:1). Paul says people who knew God refused to honor Him or thank Him and turned into fools while claiming wisdom (Romans 1:21-22), and Psalm 10 describes the proud wicked man whose schemes leave no room for God (Psalm 10:4). Psalm 53 is very close to Psalm 14, which opens the same way (Psalm 14:1).
- Psalm 53:1 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.”The fool denies God in his heart, and corruption follows.
- Romans 1:21-22 (BSB)“For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,”Refusing to honor God leads to darkened hearts and folly.
- Psalm 10:4 (BSB)“In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.”The proud wicked man leaves God out of all his thinking.
- Psalm 14:1 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.”Psalm 14 opens with the same description of the fool.
Theological
According to 53:1, what is the source of the fool's corrupt conduct?
Answer: He lives as though God does not exist
53:1 roots the fool's corruption in his heart: he inwardly denies God, and the outworking is corruption, abominable deeds, and the absence of anyone who does good. Biblical folly is moral and spiritual, not intellectual. Paul traces the same path from suppressing the knowledge of God to futility and professed wisdom that becomes folly (Romans 1:21-22), and Psalm 10:4 describes the proud wicked man for whom God has no place in his thinking. The psalm closely parallels Psalm 14 (Psalm 14:1).
- Psalm 53:1 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.”The fool denies God in his heart, and corruption follows.
- Romans 1:21-22 (BSB)“For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,”Refusing to honor God leads to darkened hearts and folly.
- Psalm 10:4 (BSB)“In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.”The proud wicked man leaves God out of all his thinking.
- Psalm 14:1 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.”Psalm 14 opens with the same description of the fool.
General
When God looks down on humanity in 53:2-3, what does He find?
Answer: Not a single person doing good
God gazes down on the human race to see whether anyone understands or seeks Him (53:2). What He finds is that all have turned aside and together become corrupt; not a single person does good (53:3). This is not about a few especially wicked people but about all people apart from God's grace. Paul quotes these lines in Romans 3:10-12 to show that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is under sin. The Bible says the sinful mind is unable to obey God's law (Romans 8:7). This teaching is called total depravity: sin affects every part of a person, so that no one comes to God unless the Father draws him (John 6:44).
- Psalm 53:2-3 (BSB)“God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”God searches humanity and finds no one who seeks Him or does good.
- Romans 3:10-12 (BSB)“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.””Paul quotes these lines to prove that all are under sin.
- Romans 8:7 (BSB)“because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”The sinful mind is hostile to God and cannot submit to His law.
- John 6:44 (BSB)““No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”No one comes to Christ unless the Father draws him.
Theological
What is the result of God's search of humanity in 53:2-3?
Answer: Not a single person doing good
The divine inspection of 53:2-3 yields a universal verdict: every person has turned aside and become corrupt together, and none does good. Paul cites these words in Romans 3:10-12 as part of his case that all are under sin. The condition is total depravity: the fleshly mind is at enmity with God and unable to submit to His law (Romans 8:7), and no one comes to Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44).
- Psalm 53:2-3 (BSB)“God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”God searches humanity and finds no one who seeks Him or does good.
- Romans 3:10-12 (BSB)“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.””Paul quotes these lines to prove that all are under sin.
- Romans 8:7 (BSB)“because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”The sinful mind is hostile to God and cannot submit to His law.
- John 6:44 (BSB)““No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”No one comes to Christ unless the Father draws him.
General
How does Psalm 53 end (53:6)?
Answer: With a longing for God's salvation from Zion
After describing universal corruption, the psalm ends with a longing cry for Israel's salvation to come out of Zion, the city where God dwelt among His people, and it anticipates joy for Jacob and Israel when God brings His captive people back (53:6). The hope for rescue does not come from within corrupt humanity but from God. Psalm 14 ends with the same prayer (Psalm 14:7). Psalm 126 celebrates a time when the LORD did restore Zion's captives and filled His people with joy (Psalm 126:1-3), and Isaiah promises a Redeemer who comes to Zion for the people of Jacob who repent (Isaiah 59:20).
- Psalm 53:6 (BSB)“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!”The psalm longs for salvation from Zion and joy when God restores His people.
- Psalm 14:7 (BSB)“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!”Psalm 14 closes with the same prayer for salvation from Zion.
- Psalm 126:1-3 (BSB)“A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”God's restoration of Zion's captives filled His people with joy.
- Isaiah 59:20 (BSB)““The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.”God promises a Redeemer who comes to Zion for the repentant.
Theological
What note does Psalm 53 close on in 53:6?
Answer: With a longing for God's salvation from Zion
Having established universal corruption, the psalm closes by looking to God alone: a longing for Israel's salvation to go out from Zion, and the anticipated rejoicing of Jacob when God brings back His captive people (53:6). Deliverance must come from outside fallen humanity. Psalm 14:7 ends identically, Psalm 126:1-3 celebrates such a restoration of Zion's captives, and Isaiah 59:20 promises the Redeemer's coming to Zion for the repentant of Jacob.
- Psalm 53:6 (BSB)“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!”The psalm longs for salvation from Zion and joy when God restores His people.
- Psalm 14:7 (BSB)“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!”Psalm 14 closes with the same prayer for salvation from Zion.
- Psalm 126:1-3 (BSB)“A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”God's restoration of Zion's captives filled His people with joy.
- Isaiah 59:20 (BSB)““The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.”God promises a Redeemer who comes to Zion for the repentant.