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.

To the Overseer. — 'On a disease.' — An instruction, by David. A fool said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They have done corruptly, Yea, they have done abominable iniquity, There is none doing 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 from the heavens looked on the sons of men, To see if there be an understanding one, [One] seeking God.

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

Every one went back, together they became filthy, There is none doing 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.

Have not workers of iniquity known, Those eating my people have eaten bread, God they have not called.

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.

There they feared a fear — there was no fear, For God hath scattered the bones of him Who is encamping against thee, Thou hast put to shame, For God hath despised 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.

Who doth give from Zion the salvation of Israel? When God turneth back [to] a captivity of His people, Jacob doth rejoice — Israel is glad!