Psalms 53:1

Psalms 53:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.

Context of Psalms 53:1

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!

Psalms 53:1 word by word

אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽ֝שְׁחִ֗יתוּ וְהִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עָ֝֗וֶל אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֽוֹב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The foolנָבָלnâbâl · foolishH5036
• hath saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• in his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• no Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• Corruptשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• are they, and have done abominableתַּעָבtâ‛ab · to abhorH8581
• iniquityעָ֫וֶל‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
• none that doethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896

Cross-references for Psalms 53:1

• Psalms 88:1O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.
• Psalms 14:1Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
• Psalms 92:6Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this:
• Matthew 5:22But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
• Luke 12:20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
• Psalms 10:4The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.
• 1 Kings 12:26Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David.
• Romans 1:21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
• Genesis 6:5The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
• Job 14:4Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!
• Job 15:16How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!
• Leviticus 18:24“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways.
• Deuteronomy 12:31You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
• 1 Kings 14:24There were even male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
• Ezekiel 16:47But you have not merely sinned as they did. You quickly surpassed them in corruption.
• Ephesians 5:12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.

Commentaries on Psalms 53:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The fool hath said in his heart - The whole of this Psalm, except a few inconsiderable differences, is the same as the fourteenth; and, therefore, the same notes and analysis may be applied to it; or, by referring to the fourteenth, the reader will find the subject of it amply explained. I shall add a few short notes. Have done abominable iniquity - Instead of עול avel, evil or iniquity, eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. have עלילה alilah, work…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The fool hath said in his heart … - For the meaning of this verse, see the notes at Psalm 14:1. The only change in this verse - a change which does not affect the sense - is the substitution of the word “iniquity,” in Psalm 53:1-6, for “works,” in Psalm 14:1-7.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The corruption of man by nature. --This psalm is almost the same as the 14th. The scope of it is to convince us of our sins. God, by the psalmist, here shows us how bad we are, and proves this by his own certain knowledge. He speaks terror to persecutors, the worst of sinners. He speaks encouragement to God's persecuted people. How comes it that men are so bad? Because there is no fear of God before their eyes. Men's bad practices flow from their bad…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Paul uses the Greek translation of this passage to describe the moral corruption of all people (Romans 3:10–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61-4. with few verbal changes, correspond with Psa 14:1-4.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 53:1

• Atheism
• Depravity of Man
• Fool
• Infidelity
• Music
• Skepticism
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Mahalath Maschil
• Music, Instrumental
• Psalms
• Fool; Folly
• Mahalath
• Psalms, Book of
• Song
• Maschil

Commentaries on Psalms 53

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings