ARE THERE ANY WHO SEEK GOD?
Key verse: 2
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!
Footnotes
- Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
- Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Cross references
- Psalm 53:1 : 53:1-6pp — Ps 14:1-7
- Psalm 53:1 : Ps 74:22; 107:17; Pr 10:23
- Psalm 53:1 : Ps 10:4
- Psalm 53:2 : S Ps 33:13
- Psalm 53:2 : Ps 82:5; Jer 4:22; 8:8
- Psalm 53:2 : 2Ch 15:2
- Psalm 53:3 : Ro 3:10-12*
- Psalm 53:5 : S Lev 26:17
- Psalm 53:5 : 2Ki 23:14; Ps 141:7; Jer 8:1; Eze 6:5
- Psalm 53:5 : 2Ki 17:20
- Psalm 53:5 : S Job 8:22
- Psalm 53:5 : Jer 6:30; 14:19; La 5:22
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
- Psalm 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
- Psalm 53:2 Or who act wisely
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.
Footnotes
- Psalm 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
- 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
The fool is not necessarily a professed atheist, but one who does not believe that there is good and evil, truth or falsehood. Rather, they are those who live by their own selfish greed and desires and don’t want any accountability for their actions. They believe that “might is right”. They devour people with no empathy to fill their own stomachs. Yet they live in constant dread of losing what they think makes their life worth living.
Those who seek God are those who seek truth, beauty, and goodness and strive to set their minds on such things. God brings justice and salvation to those who earnestly seek him.
Even though we live in a world where everyone seems to only live for themselves, may we find peace and salvation in trusting that only what God gives cannot be lost.
Prayer: Lord, there is so much that is wrong with the world today, help us to seek you and restore what has been broken.
One Word: God restores his people
