5. Instead of assurances of God's presence with the pious, and a complaint of the wicked, Psalms 14:5; Psalms 14:6 portrays the ruin of the latter, whose "bones" even "are scattered" (compare Psalms 141:7), and who are put to shame as contemptuously rejected of God. read more
Psalms 53This psalm is another version of the one that appears in Book 1 as Psalms 14. David wrote it, and "mahalath" is a tune name. One interesting difference between this psalm and Psalms 14 is that this one contains the name Elohim whereas Psalms 14 has Yahweh.". . . Psalms 53’s position between Psalms 52, 54 favors an ancient tradition relating to the life of David. Psalms 52 relates to the story of Doeg (cf. 1 Samuel 22) and Psalms 54 to the incident of the Ziphites (cf. 1 Samuel 23; 1... read more
2. Anticipation of judgment 53:4-5 read more
This is a second version of Psalms 14 with the important difference that God (Elohim) is everywhere substituted for the Lord (Jehovah). There are a few other variations and additions, especially in Psalms 53:5 (= Psalms 14:5-6). The changes are interesting chiefly as an illustration of the process of editing which was applied to many Pss. and many portions of the OT., and in particular of the consistent preferences, on the part of separate writers, for one divine name rather than... read more
(5) Where no fear was.—This—the most interesting variation from Psalms 14:0—appears plainly to have been inserted to bring the Psalm into harmony with some circumstance belonging to the time for which it was adapted, but to which we have no clue. As to the choice among the various explanations that have been given of it, we must remark that the one which takes “fear” in a good sense (“Then were they in great fright where there was no fear of God”) is excluded by the fact that the same word is... read more
Psalms 53:1-6IN this psalm we have an Elohistic recast of Psalms 14:1-7, differing from its original in substituting Elohim for Jehovah (four times) and in the language of Psalms 53:5. There are also other slight deviations not affecting the sense. For the exposition the reader is referred to that of Psalms 14:1-7. It is only necessary here to take note of the divergences.The first of these occurs in Psalms 53:1. The forcible rough construction "they corrupt, they make abominable," is smoothed... read more
Psalms 53:0 The Apostasy Under the Man of Sin This Psalm is in greater part the same as the fourteenth. It is the description of the apostasy, the complete turning away from God and opposition to God, which will hold sway when Satan’s mighty man is on the earth. Then the godly remnant will sigh for the coming of salvation out of Zion. read more
53:5 There were they in great fear, [where] no {e} fear was: for God hath scattered the {f} bones of him that encampeth [against] thee: thou hast put [them] to shame, because God hath despised them.(e) When they thought there was no opportunity to fear, the sudden vengeance of God lighted on them.(f) No matter how great the enemies power is, or fearful the danger, yet God delivers his in due time. read more
Strangers. Barbarous, (Worthington) enemies, though of the same tribe. (Calmet) --- Hostis dicebatur quem nunc peregrinum dicimus. (Cicero, Off. i.) --- The devil and our passions, as well as the world, are such to us. (Berthier) read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Psalms 53:5
Psalms 53:5. For God hath scattered the bones of him— This is generally referred to Sheba; who, being left at last to shift for himself, was shut up in the city of Abel, and there taken and beheaded; (see 2 Samuel 20:22.) after which his body, most probably, was exposed to the fowls of the air, or the wild beasts, insomuch that his bones were indeed at last scattered. Mudge renders this and the foregoing verse thus: Do not they observe, the dealers in vanity, devourers of my people? They eat... read more