Psalm 53 comments

 

Psalm 53:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.» The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. 2  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. 3  Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 4  Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God. 5  There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. 6  Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

 

This is a repetition of Psalm 14. So, we might say sarcastically that April 1^st is day dedicated to them; April Fool’s Day. It is impossible to please God with good actions if one doesn’t believe in Him.

 

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Let’s look at Psalm 14 again in its entirety.

 

Psalm 14:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 2  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

    4 ¶  Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. 5  There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. 6  Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge. 7  Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Here is a condemnation of atheism. Even in David’s day it is possible it was acknowledged that there were people who believed in no god. However, it is also entirely possible in this very religious world where Greeks and Romans were called atheists who did not believe in the gods of the state that this is, in David’s context, a condemnation of the heathen who follow Baal and other gods. This could very well be about people who do not seek after God, capital G, the Creator of the universe and the Lord of all eternity. From my study, and this is my conclusion only, in the world of the Ancient Near East it is unlikely that people would believe in no god at all but we have the evidence I just stated that people were called atheists who did not believe in the gods of the state or in the Ancient Near East even the god of the city as we have learned that individual cities were religious entities in their beginning consisting of people who worshipped the same god or gods which were perhaps different from another city.

Prophetically, Paul will bring out these points consistently. First, in the religious history of mankind, which is worth reading, he goes over this general concept.

Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

    19 ¶  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and

fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Paul quotes this passage in the context of showing that we are all sinners, lost without Christ;

Romans 3:9  What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

For us personally, we should keep in mind this idea when we are witnessing that it doesn’t matter what someone believes, what their final authority is, if it is not Christ and His Bible, which in a manner of speaking is Him in written form then we are undone forever. They are lost, in the same boat as atheists who don’t believe in God the Creator. They are the same as a functioning atheist, a Unitarian, Hindu, Muslim, or Christian who doesn’t believe Christ was and is the visible image of the invisible God.