Psalms 53

1 [Only] foolish people say to themselves, “There is no God!” People who say that are corrupt; they commit terrible sins; there is not one of them who does what is good/right.

For the music director. According to Mahalath. A psalm (maskil) of David. Only fools tell themselves, “God doesn't exist.” They are completely immoral, they commit terrible sins, not a single one of them does anything good.

2 God looks down from heaven and sees humans; he looks to see if anyone is [very] wise, with the result that he seeks [to know] God.

God watches from heaven to see if anyone understands, if anyone wants to come to God.

3 [But] they are all morally corrupt; no one does what is good/right.

They have all fallen away, they are totally depraved; none of them does anything good, not even one.

4 Will all these evil people never learn [what God will do to them]? They act violently toward Yahweh’s people while eating the food that he provides, and they never pray to Yahweh.

“Won't these people who do evil ever learn? They consume my people as if they were eating bread, and refuse to pray to me.”

5 But [some day] those people will become terrified, like they have never been terrified before, because God will cause those who are separated from him to die, and he will [disrespect them by] scattering their bones. They have rejected God, so he will cause them to be [defeated and] completely disgraced.

They will become completely terrified, more frightened than they have ever been. God will scatter the bones of those who fight against you; you will defeat them because God has rejected them.

6 I wish/desire that someone from Jerusalem [MTY] would come and rescue the Israeli [people]! God, when you bless your people again, [all] the Israeli [people, all the descendants of] Jacob, will rejoice.

If only God's salvation would come from Zion! When God restores his people, the people of Jacob will celebrate, and the people of Israel will be glad.