Psalm 53
David wrote this special song for the music leader. Use the music called Mahalath.
People are wicked
– You will find the word Lord 4 times in Psalm 14 and the word God 3 times. In Psalm 53, the word Lord is nowhere, but God appears 7 times.
– Verse 5 in Psalm 53 is not the same as in Psalm 14.
Why are there these differences?
In Psalm 14, David wrote about Moses bringing the Israelites through the Red Sea. God had saved them from Egypt. But now, nearly 300 years after David died, God saved them again. This time he saved them from Assyria. So, Psalm 14 was ‘rewritten.’ It became Psalm 53. It was still David's psalm, but they had to make two changes:
– They put the name God instead of Lord. Perhaps this was because they wanted everyone to know that he was God of the whole world. Lord is a name that only God's people use.
– They changed verses 5 and 6 in psalm 14 to verse 5 in Psalm 53. This says that God threw away the bones of the people that attacked Judah. Those people were the Assyrians.
People like that are bad.
They do
None of them does anything that is good.
– Those that make us laugh
– Those that are stupid.
This psalm is about the second group. ‘Thinks’, in Hebrew is ‘says in his heart.’ The Jews believed that you thought with your heart. But you also feel in your heart. It makes you do things good or bad.
at the people on earth.
He wants to see if there is anyone who is really
and who wants to know God.
They have all become
Nobody does anything that is good,
not even one person.
They destroy my people
as easily as they eat bread.
They never pray to God.
when there is nothing to be afraid of!
God has completely won against his enemies,
the people that attack you, his people.
God has turned against them,
so you are able to make them ashamed!
Leave your home in Zion
and make your people safe again!
When God
Yes,