1To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil[1] of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. (Ps 14:1; Ps 88:1)2God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand,[2] who seek after God.3They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.4Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?5There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. (Le 26:17; Le 26:36; Ps 89:10; Ps 141:7; Pr 28:1; Jer 8:1; Eze 6:5)6Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Psalm 53
New International Version
For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.
1The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no-one who does good.[1]2God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.3Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no-one who does good, not even one.4Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God.5But there they are, 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.6Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 53
King James Version
1To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David. 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.2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.5There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.6Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Psalm 53
New International Reader’s Version
For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.
1Foolish people say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They do all kinds of horrible and evil things. No one does anything good.2God looks down from heaven on all people. He wants to see if there are any who understand. He wants to see if there are any who trust in God.3All of them have turned away. They have all become evil. No one does anything good, no one at all.4Don’t these people who do evil know anything? They eat up my people as if they were eating bread. They never call out to God for help.5Just look at them! They are filled with terror even when there is nothing to be afraid of! People of Israel, God scattered the bones of those who attacked you. You put them to shame, because God hated them.6How I pray that the God who saves Israel will come out of Zion! God will bless his people with great success again. Then let the people of Jacob be filled with joy! Let Israel be glad!