Psalms 53 (DBY)

Chapter Text

53:1 {To the chief Musician. On Mahalath: an instruction. Of David.} The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God! They have corrupted themselves, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

53:2 God looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

53:3 Every one of them is gone back, they are together become corrupt: there is none that doeth good, not even one.

53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people [as] they eat bread? they call not upon God.

53:5 There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God scattereth the bones of him that encampeth against thee. Thou hast put [them] to shame, for God hath despised them.

53:6 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth again the captivity of his people, Jacob shall be glad, Israel shall rejoice.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "chief", "musician", "mahalath", "instruction", "david", "fool", "hath", and "said". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "chief" and "musician", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local DBY text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "chief" and "musician" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "chief" and "musician" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.