Psalm 53

of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3 Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Will the evildoers never learn those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?
5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread.  God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them.
6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! (KJV)

Who is a fool? According to Merriam-Webster, the word means a person lacking in judgment or prudence. In verse one of this psalm the psalmist describes a fool as a person that rejects God. In other words, this person is Godless, someone who has rejected and denies that God exist. The psalmist then describes him as being corrupt and their ways as being vile. This is the state of a man who rejects God. This psalm of David along with Psalm fourteen is used by Paul in Romans chapter three. Paul’s conclusion is found in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” As I study this psalm, I realize the truth found in Hebrews 2:3 “how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” The first step in grabbing hold of this great salvation is in knowing God and understand that all of us have turned away from God.

The theme of the seeking God is clear in this Psalm. The fool is the one that rejects God, the one who denies God, and his way.  But the psalm also continues with the theme of God looking down from heaven and seeing that the sons of men did not seek Him.   Reading this psalm, I am reminded of the world before the flood and how God save mankind through Noah.  And even today as we look out unto the world today can we find those who seek God?

Verse six “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!” is a promise that the psalmist was looking forward to being fulfilled.  This is the same promise that we as believers see in John 3:16. So, as we see in the Gospels that God, send his Son to us as the way, the truth and the life.  Just as Israel’s hope of salvation rested in God restoring the fortunes of his people; we also place our hope in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection for our salvation. 

We must not forget that words of this psalm apply to all of mankind.  We must heed Paul’s words in Romans 2:1 “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges:  for wherein thou judge another, thou condemn thyself; for thou that judges do the same thing.”  We are all sinners and need a savior.  However, thanks be to God we have one in Christ.  And with the salvation we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to become a new creature.  Therefore, we must remember I Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”  We are no longer a fool, since we now have the salvation that comes by faith our conversation if one that praises God instead of denying God.