Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 53 (MT) / Psalm 52 (LXX) is a near-duplicate of Psalm 14, with two principal differences: (a) divine-name Elohim replaces Yahweh throughout (fitting the Elohistic Psalter, Pss 42–83), and (b) v. 5 replaces Ps 14's 'in the company of the righteous' with a distinct military-deliverance statement about scattered enemies. Pss 14 and 53 together may reflect a single original-composition adapted for different liturgical contexts — northern vs. southern, pre-exilic vs. exilic, or generic vs. specific-deliverance. Paul's Rom 3:10–12 citation of Ps 14:1–3 applies equally to this parallel.
Notable Variants
53:1 'the fool says in his heart: There is no God' parallel to Ps 14:1 → Romans 3:10–12 (Paul cites Ps 14 LXX in the catena, which like Ps 53 lacks the major LXX plus); 53:5's variant v. 5 distinctively references military-deliverance (divergent from Ps 14:5); the Elohistic name-preference as Psalter-book-structural feature.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 53 = LXX Ps 52. 7 verses (MT/LXX), 6 verses (English). Near-doublet of Ps 14; variant wording at v. 5.
For the director of music. According to Machalath. A maskil of David.
Superscription 'to the choirmaster, according to Mahalath, a Maskil of David' tracks MT. Mahalath ('sickness, disease' — or a musical term) appears only here and at Ps 88:1.
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they commit vile injustice; there is no one who does good.
'The fool says in his heart: There is no God' tracks MT. // Ps 14:1. The practical-atheism diagnosis — not theoretical-denial but functional-indifference. Paul's Romans 3:10–12 cites the Psalm 14 parallel as part of the catena on universal-sinfulness.
God looks down from heaven upon the children of humanity, to see if there is anyone who has insight, anyone who seeks God.
'God looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God' tracks MT. // Ps 14:2.
All of them have turned away; together they have become foul. There is no one who does good — not even one.
'They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one' tracks MT. // Ps 14:3. Paul cites this verse at Romans 3:10–12.
Do the workers of wickedness not know — those who eat my people as they eat bread? They do not call on God.
'Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?' tracks MT. // Ps 14:4.
There they are — seized by terror where there was no terror! For God scatters the bones of those who besiege you; you put them to shame, because God has rejected them.
Masoretic (WLC)
שָׁם פָּחֲדוּ־פַחַד לֹא־הָיָה פָחַד כִּי־אֱלֹהִים פִּזַּר עַצְמוֹת חֹנָךְ הֱבִשֹׁתָה כִּי־אֱלֹהִים מְאָסָם
There they are in great terror, where there was no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them
Septuagint (LXX)
ἐκεῖ φοβηθήσονται φόβον οὗ οὐκ ἦν φόβος ὅτι ὁ θεὸς διεσκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρωπαρέσκων κατῃσχύνθησαν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἐξουδένωσεν αὐτούς
There they were in terror, where there was no terror; for God has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers; they were put to shame, for God has set them at nought
VARIANT FROM PS 14:5. This verse diverges significantly from Psalm 14:5 ('there they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous'). Ps 53 has instead a military-deliverance content: God scatters the bones of the enemy-besiegers. The differences suggest Ps 53 was adapted for a specific-historical military-deliverance (perhaps 2 Kings 19 Sennacherib-scattered-bones or similar).
'MEN-PLEASERS' (anthrōpareskōn). The LXX's 'men-pleasers' is a distinctive translation that Paul picks up at Ephesians 6:6 and Colossians 3:22 (both 'not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers' — mē kat' ophthalmodouleian hōs anthrōpareskoi). The term marks the LXX-Paul vocabulary continuity.
Who will give salvation to Israel from Zion? When God restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad!
'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' tracks MT. // Ps 14:7.