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 end, [a Psalm] of David upon Maeleth, of instruction. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted [themselves], and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that does 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 looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after God.

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

They have all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, there is 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.

Will none of the workers of iniquity know, who devour my people as they would eat bread? they have not called upon God. There were they greatly afraid, where there was no fear:

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.

or God has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers; they were ashamed, for God 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 will bring the salvation of Israel out of Sion? When the Lord turns the captivity of his people, Jacob shall exult, and Israel shall be glad.