Psalm 53 — There Is No One Who Does Good, No, Not One
Nearly identical to Psalm 14, with small wording changes (most notably using "God" throughout instead of "Yahweh") — a rare case of the same psalm appearing twice in the Psalter, likely because it was preserved in two different collections that were both later included. It repeats the same core indictment: universal moral failure ("every one of them has gone back... there is no one who does good, no, not one," v. 3) and the same closing hope for Israel's restoration (v. 6).
- Comparing this directly with Psalm 14 shows how minimal the differences are — mainly the divine name used and a variation in verse 5's wording — useful evidence for how psalms circulated in more than one form before the Psalter was finalized.
- Verse 3 is part of what Paul draws on in Romans 3:10-12's argument that all humanity stands guilty before God — the same verse appears in the Psalm 14 discussion, since the two are essentially one text.
- The switch to "God" (Elohim) rather than "Yahweh" throughout this psalm, compared to Psalm 14's use of the personal covenant name, is one of the clues scholars use to identify which collection within the Psalter (the "Elohistic Psalter," roughly Psalms 42-83) a given psalm originally belonged to.
Psalms 53 (WEB)
1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.
2God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.
3Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.
4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?
5There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.
6Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.