Psalms
Chapter 53
This psalm looks at people who live as if God does not exist. God looks down from heaven for anyone who understands and seeks him, and finds no one doing good. The psalm says those who harm God's people will be filled with terror and scattered. It ends with a wish that help for Israel would come, and that God would bring his people back home.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
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.
1The fool says to himself, "There is no God." People like this are rotten inside, and the things they do are terrible. Not one of them does what is good.
2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
2God looked down from heaven at all people. He wanted to see if anyone understood, if anyone was looking for him.
3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
3Every one of them has turned away. Together they have all become dirty. No one does what is good, not even one person.
4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
4Do these people who do wrong know nothing at all? They eat up my people the way they eat bread. They never call on God.
5There 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.
5There they were, terrified, when there was nothing to be afraid of. God scattered the bones of the army camped against you. You shamed them, because God turned away from them.
6Oh 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.
6I wish that help for Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings his people home again, Jacob will be glad and Israel will be happy.
Zion is the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood. "Jacob" and "Israel" are two names for the same people, since Jacob was renamed Israel and his family became the nation.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it