Psalm 53--There Is None Who Does Good

Psalm 53
World English Bible

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Mahalath.” A contemplation by David.
53 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity.
    There is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men,
    to see if there are any who understood,
    who seek after God.
3 Every one of them has gone back.
    They have become filthy together.
    There is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and don’t call on God?
5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was,
    for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.
You have put them to shame,
    because God has rejected them.
6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God brings back his people from captivity,
    then Jacob shall rejoice,
    and Israel shall be glad.

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I mentioned a couple of the key takeaways of this Psalm in yesterday's article, but let's take a fresh look at it again today.  First, David contemplates the fool that says in his heart, "There is no God."  God calls such a man a "fool," and that is a strong word in the Bible--something that we are told by Jesus not to throw around lightly, or we risk hellfire ourselves.  The fool lacks the wisdom of God because he will not ask God for it.  His mind and his actions are corrupted by sin, and he is like the man in Romans 1 that is given over to both a depraved mind and depraved passions (maybe even to the point of the unnatural passions described in Romans 1).

That said, there is no one who is righteous on their own merits.  All men are sinners and in need of savior.  The fool however will not admit his need.  The wise man who has had his eyes opened by the LORD sees his predicament and calls out, "Jesus, save me."  None of us make this cry for help on our own because none of us are good enough or wise enough to seek God on our own.  That is what verse 2 tells us.

All of us would rather be filthy pigs rolling around in the slop and filth than to be the sheep of the LORD's pasture.  He has to change us from swine to sheep.  Even sheep can't keep themselves clean though, and it take the constant care of the Shepherd to keep them white and clean.

David wonders how those who have already been identified as fools can look at the world and not see God as Creator and Sustainer of all things?  How do they not recognize every time they sit down to eat a meal that they would not even be able to feed themselves apart from the grace and provision of God?  Why do they refuse to believe in and give honor and glory and thanks to the one who gives them every good thing? Why do they not accept the good with the bad?  Are they really so proud that they imagine that they could do better? (Certainly, this is what Satan believes, but he has no chance at being wise enough or powerful enough to hold everything together).

These fools should be rejoicing and giving glory to God for protecting them from their enemies.  Instead, they are stealing glory from God by claiming they defeated the enemies by their own might and tactics.  We all know from reading the biblical accounts this is not the case.  God supernaturally intervenes on a regular basis for the people of Israel to save them from destruction in was that it should be clear that He won the battle for them--a battle they could never win for themselves.

One day, the fool will be like the godless enemies that they now gloat over.  They too will come to the same end of death and destruction and eternal condemnation.  God is giving the foolish people a sign and a chance to repent, yet some are so far gone that their depraved hearts and minds will not let them do so.

David finishes this Psalm with a reminder a Savior for the LORD's people (and the whole world) is coming forth from Zion--that is Jesus who died on a cross in Jerusalem to save His people from their sins.  David knows this is the only answer to the issue of sin and rebellion, the only hope of salvation for those who believe, but utter condemnation for those who refuse to accept this one and only way of salvation that God will offer.  "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!” (Acts 4:12)