Psalm 53:5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 53:1-6

This psalm was opened before, and therefore we shall here only observe, in short, some things concerning sin, in order to the increasing of our sorrow for it and hatred of it. 1. The fact of sin. Isa. that proved? Can the charge be made out? Yes, God is a witness to it, an unexceptionable witness: from the place of his holiness he looks on the children of men, and sees how little good there is among them, Ps. 53:2. All the sinfulness of their hearts and lives in naked and open before him. 2.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 53:5

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,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 53:5

For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them - The reader will see, on comparing this with the fifth and sixth verses of Psalm 14:1-7 , that the words above are mostly added here to what is said there; and appear to be levelled against the Babylonians, who sacked and ruined Jerusalem, and who were now sacked and ruined in their turn. The sixth verse of Psalm 14:1-7 , "Ye have shamed the counsel of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 53:1-6

The expression, "upon Mahalath," or, "set to Mahalath," in the title, is thought to be a musical direction, and is explained by Dr. Kay as equivalent to the modern Maestoso. Psalms 53:1 and Psalms 53:2 are identical with the same verses of Psalms 14:1-7 ; with the single exception that "Jehovah "is replaced by" Elohim," as the first word of Psalms 14:2 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 53:5

There were they in great fear, where no fear was . So long a phrase as "where no fear was" ( לא־היה כּחד ) can scarcely have "fallen out," and must have been added intentionally to mark that, on the occasion in connection with which the revision was made, there had been no ground at all for the panic. For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee . This clause takes the place of the following in Psalms 14:1-7 .: "For God is in the generation of the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 53:5

There were they in great fear ... - Margin, as in Hebrew, “they feared a fear.” For the general meaning of the verse, see the notes at Psalms 14:5. There is, however, an important change introduced here - the most important in the psalm. The general sentiment of two verses Psalms 14:5-6 in Psalms 14:1-7 is here compressed into one, and yet with such an important change as to show that it was by design, and apparently to adapt it to some new circumstance. The solution of this would seem to be... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 53:5

Psalms 53:5. Where no fear was Where there was no great or sufficient cause of fear. They who designed to secure themselves from all fear and danger, by their contempt of God, and by the persecution of good men, and by other wicked courses, were, by these means, filled with the terrors which they sought to avoid. For God hath scattered the bones, &c. Hath not only broken the bones, that is, their strength and force, which are often signified by bones; but also dispersed them hither... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Psalms 53:1-6

Psalms 52-54 Those who act treacherouslyWhen David fled from Saul he obtained urgently needed provisions from the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 21:1-9). He was seen by Doeg, an Edomite and a servant of Saul, who reported the matter to Saul. In a typical fit of mad vengeance, Saul ordered Doeg to kill all the priests at Nob, something that Doeg was very willing to do (1 Samuel 22:6-23). On hearing of Doeg’s butchery, David wrote a poem against him, which has been preserved in the Bible as Psalms 52:0... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Psalms 53:5

For God hath scattered. This is an addition to Psalms 14:0 . despised them. Here, the wicked are in question. In Psalms 14:5 , the righteous. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Psalms 53:5

"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 rejected them."Nothing whatever is known about the event referred to here. The alternative use of the second person and the third person in references to God is not unusual in the Bible.We repeat here one factor stressed in our treatment of Psalms 14, namely, that "The Universal Sinfulness of Mankind" is almost certainly a reference... read more

Group of Brands