NO ONE DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE

Passage: Psalms 53:1-6

Key verse: 6

NIV

Psalm 53[a](A)
For the director of music. According to mahalath.[b] A maskil[c] of David.

1 The fool(B) says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(C)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven(D)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(E)
    any who seek God.(F)
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.(G)

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.(H)
God scattered the bones(I) of those who attacked you;(J)
    you put them to shame,(K) for God despised them.(L)

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
  2. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

There Is None Who Does Good

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Mahalath. A Maskil[a] of David.

53 (B)The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,[b]
    who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,
    (C)where there is no terror!
For God (D)scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  2. Psalm 53:2 Or who act wisely
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

To be a fool is not related to a person’s education level but one’s heart’s attitude toward God. Fools say in their hearts that there is no God. As a result, fools are corrupt and vile.

Who specifically is a fool? According to this Psalm, everyone! God looks on mankind to see if there is anyone who seeks him. But no one seeks him. Everyone has turned away from God and has become corrupt. We can compare ourselves with others and deceive ourselves into feeling we are “good”. However, before God, there is not even one person who does good. Without God, we are evildoers who devour other people for personal gain. We are also overwhelmed with dread because of God’s certain judgment. Romans 3:1

-12 quote this Psalm to show that all are under the power of sin. Do you see yourself in this Psalm or do you only apply this to others?

Seeing the spiritual condition of all mankind, the author longs for salvation for Israel to come out of Zion. Salvation has come through Jesus. Though we are sinners from the deepest part of our hearts, salvation is available to us when we repent and believe in Jesus. Praise God for salvation in Christ!

Prayer: Father, I was a fool who did not recognize you and still I am a sinner. But thank you for saving me from my sins through Jesus.

One Word: Salvation has come out of Zion!