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Psalm Fifty-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT
To the Overseer. -- `On a disease.' -- An instruction
by David.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 53
To the chief Musician upon Mahalath
Maschil
cf15I A Psalm of David. The
word "mahalath" is only used here and in Psalm 88:1. Some
with Aben Ezra
take it to be the first word of a song
to the tune of which
this psalm was set; others
with Jarchi
that it is the name of a musical
instrument on which it was sung; a hollow instrument; of the same nature with
"nehiloth"
See Gill on Psalm 5:1
title.
Though it may relate to the argument or subject matter of the psalm
and be
rendered
"concerning sickness" or "infirmity"F5צל מחלת "de miseria"
Tigurine version
"vel infirmitate"; so Ainsworth. ; and
as Jarchi
observes
some interpret it
"concerning the sickness or weakness of
Israel"
when the temple was destroyed. But it seems much better to
understand it of the sickness and disease of sin
and the weakness following
upon that
to which all mankind are subject; since the psalm manifestly treats
of the general corruption and depravity of human nature. This psalm is the same
with Psalm 14:1
and is
expressed in the same words
with some little difference; the reason of its
repetition is variously conjectured. Some think that the compiler of the book
of Psalms
observing various readings in it occasioned by copying
thought fit
to insert it both ways; but it is most likely to be composed by David himself
at different times
and it may be on different occasions
and with different
views. Some think the former
namely the fourteenth psalm
was written
concerning Nabal
and this concerning Doeg; according to Jarchi
that was
concerning Nebuchadnezzar
this concerning Titus Vespasian; or
as others
think
Antiochus Epiphanes. Kimchi is of opinion that this psalm
being placed
between one that relates to Doeg
and another that refers to the Ziphites
points at the likeness there is between the case of David and the Messiah; that
as David had many who sought to ensnare him
yet God rewarded them
and
established him in the kingdom; so it will be with the Messiah: but it is much
more reasonable with others to conclude
that it is repeated either because of
the importance of it; because that as the former may refer to the corruption of
the Jews in the times of David
this to the corruption of men in the times of
Christ and his apostles
and under the Gospel dispensation
until the second
coming of Christ
especially under the reign of antichrist. The argument of the
psalm
according to the Syriac version
is concerning Ahithophel
who gave
counsel to Absalom to pursue his father David and kill him: and
according to
the Arabic version
it is a prophecy concerning Babel and Sennacherib; so
Theodoret: but rather concerning mystical Babylon
and the man of sin.
Psalm 53:1 The
fool has said in his heart
“There is no God.” They are corrupt
and
have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.
YLT
1A fool said in his heart
`There is no God.' They have done corruptly
Yea
they have done abominable
iniquity
There is none doing good.
The fool hath said in his heart
there is no God
.... The
Targum adds
"of whom is revenge"; or there is no God to punish and
avenge the wicked;
corrupt are they; the Chaldee paraphrase is
"the wicked
have corrupted their ways"; as all flesh had done in the old world
Genesis 6:12;
and have done abominable iniquity; iniquity is the
abominable thing that God hates
and makes men abominable in his sight; in Psalm 11:1
it is
read
"abominable worlds": the Targum paraphrases the words
"they are far from good
for iniquity is found in them"; see Revelation 21:8;
there is none that
doeth good; See Gill on Psalm 14:1.
Psalm 53:2 2 God looks down from heaven
upon the children of men
To see if there are any who understand
who
seek God.
YLT
2God from the heavens looked
on the sons of men
To see if there be an understanding one
[One] seeking God.
God looked down from heaven upon the children of men
.... In Psalm 14:2
it is
read
"the Lord" or "Jehovah"; in everything else there is
an agreement in this verse; See Gill on Psalm 14:2;
to see if there were any that did understand; the Targum
is
"that were understanding" in the law; it doubtless means
understanding in divine and spiritual things;
that did seek God; the above paraphrase is
"seeking
doctrine from before the Lord".
Psalm 53:3 3 Every one of them has
turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does
good
No
not one.
YLT
3Every one went back
together they became filthy
There is none doing good -- not even one.
Every one of them is gone back
.... From God
and the
way of his commandments. In Psalm 14:3
it is
"they are all gone aside"; See Gill on Psalm 14:3;
they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth
good
no
not one. What follows in this verse is the same as Psalm 14:3.
Psalm 53:4 4 Have the workers of
iniquity no knowledge
Who eat up my people as they eat bread
And do
not call upon God?
YLT
4Have not workers of
iniquity known
Those eating my people have eaten bread
God they have not
called.
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?.... In Psalm 14:4
it is
"have all the workers"
&c. There are none of them but what have
unless given up to judicial blindness
and hardness of heart
to believe a lie
as antichrist and his followers
2 Thessalonians 2:10;
See Gill on Psalm 14:4;
who eat up my people
as they eat bread; and drink
their blood
and are drunken with it
Revelation 17:6;
they have not called upon God; but upon their idols
upon the Virgin Mary
and saints departed. In Psalm 14:4
it is
"upon the Lord".
Psalm 53:5 5 There they are 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
despised them.
YLT
5There 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.
There were they in great
fear
where no fear was
.... Before;
neither of God nor man
nor any dread of punishment
but the utmost security
Revelation 18:7;
also See Gill on Psalm 14:5;
for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against
thee; either against Christ
or against his church and people; who set
themselves against the person
office
and grace of Christ
and seek to
distress and destroy his interest: "the bones of such God will
scatter": that is
he will destroy antichrist and his armies
which are
his strength
as the bones are the strength of the human body; and make such a
carnage of them
that the fowls of the air shall eat their flesh
and their
bones shall be scattered here and there; see Revelation 19:17.
So the Targum
"for
God scatters the strength of the armies of the wicked.'
Kimchi
interprets it of the bones of the nations that shall encamp against Jerusalem
in the days of Gog; see Revelation 20:8;
and Aben Ezra observes
that "thee" respects either God or the
Messiah;
thou hast put them to shame; this is either an
address of the psalmist unto God
declaring what he had done; or rather of God
the Father to his Son Christ Jesus; and so Kimchi and Ben Melech say this
refers to the Messiah: and it may be expressive of the shame and confusion that
antichrist and his followers will be thrown into
when they shall make war with
the Lamb
and he shall overcome them
Revelation 17:14;
because God hath despised them; or rejected them as
reprobates; given them up to a reprobate mind; and being ungodly men
has
before ordained them to this condemnation. The Targum is
"for
the Word of the Lord hath rejected them;'
as
filthy
loathsome
and abominable
and cast them alive into the lake of fire
Revelation 19:20.
Psalm 53:6 6 Oh
that the salvation of
Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His
people
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
YLT
6Who doth give from Zion the
salvation of Israel? When God turneth back [to] a captivity of His people
Jacob doth rejoice -- Israel is glad!
O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!.... Or
"who will giveF6מי יתן "quis dabit"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c. out of Zion the salvation of Israel?" The Targum adds
"except the Lord"; and this is a request to him for it: and
as in Psalm 14:7
it may
be a wish for the first coming of Christ
to work out salvation for his people;
here it may be expressive of the desire of the church for his coming in a
spiritual manner
in the latter day
to take to himself his great power
and
reign; to destroy antichrist
and deliver his people from bondage and
oppression by him; when the Gentiles shall be gathered in
the Jews will be
converted
and all Israel saved; see Romans 11:25. It is
in the original text
"salvations"F7ישעות
"salutes"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius; so Ainsworth. ; denoting the
complete salvation of the church; when all her enemies will be destroyed
and
all peace and prosperity shall be enjoyed by her; See Gill on Psalm 14:6.
when God bringeth back the captivity of his people: who have been
carried into it by antichrist
Revelation 13:10;
Jacob shall rejoice
and Israel shall be glad; for now the
kingdoms of this world will become Christ's; the marriage of the Lamb will be
come
and the bride made ready
through the calling of the Gentiles
and the
conversion of the Jews; which will occasion the twenty four elders
the
representatives of the Christian church
to give thanks to the Lord God
Almighty
and cause many voices to be heard in heaven
expressing great joy on
this occasion
Revelation 11:15.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)