PSALMS 53

PSALM 53*

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Folly and Wickedness MT Intro For the choir director. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.	Folly of the Godless, and Restoration of Israel	Condemnation of a Cynical and Unrighteous Age	Human Wickedness	The Fate of the Godless
53:1-3	53:1	53:1	53:1	53:1
	53:2-3	53:2	53:2-3	53:2
		53:3		53:3
53:4-6	53:4-5	53:4	53:4	53:4
		53:5	53:5	53:5
	53:6	53:6	53:6	53:6

*This Psalm is almost exactly a duplicate of Psalm 14, except YHWH has been changed to Elohim. See full notes there.

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 53:1-3
¹The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God,"
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
There is no one who does good.
²God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God.
³Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 53:4-6
⁴Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge,
Who eat up My people as though they ate bread
And have not called upon God?
⁵There they were in great fear where no fear had been;
For God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you;
You put them to shame, because God had rejected them.
⁶Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores His captive people,
Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

This Psalm is almost exactly a duplicate of Psalm 14, except "YHWH" has been changed to "Elohim." See full exegetical notes there.