Psalm 53

What’s Happening?

Psalm 53 is almost identical to Psalm 14. In Psalm 14, we’re told that God is with the wise. But in Psalm 53, we’re also told that God is against and will destroy the foolish. 

Fools claim there is no God (Psalm 14:1 Psalm 53:1). The fool acts as his own god and makes the world around him the means to satisfy his own appetites. He feeds on people as though they’re bread (Psalm 53:4). As his cravings continue, his exploitation spirals into deeper corruption of both himself and the world around him. God looks down on humanity, looking for someone who is not like this fool. But he finds no one who does good, and no one who has wisdom (Psalm 53:2). Unanimously, people have rejected God, resulting in universal corruption. The psalmist says there is no one who does good, not even one (Psalm 53:3).

But God is against the cannibalistic consumerism of the fool because he defends those who cry out to him. God will overwhelm fools with dread and scatter their bones so that the wise can live in peace (Psalm 53:5). God shows “godless” fools that there indeed is a God who delivers his people! The psalmist hopes that one day, God’s people will rejoice in a final victory over the world that refuses to admit there is a God in heaven (Psalm 53:6). 

Where’s the Gospel?

The prophet Isaiah also said humans are all fools who reject God’s authority and make gods of our own appetites (Isaiah 53:6). The prophet Jeremiah said that humanity’s natural inclination is selfish, and we bend to corrupt means to achieve them (Jeremiah 13:23, 17:9). The apostle Paul also said that all people have become morally corrupt, denying God’s authority over their lives and rebel against him (Romans 3:23, 5:12).

When God looked down from heaven on mankind he found only one who did good, only one who was wise, and only one who obeyed God. That man was Jesus. God was pleased when he saw him (Mark 1:10-11). Jesus did good even though he was surrounded by evil and Jesus was selfless in the midst of selfish fools (1 John 3:5; Matthew 13:54). But Jesus fell prey to the ravenous evil of foolish men. He became the bread that wicked fools devoured.

When he died on the cross by their hands, God took the wickedness of fools and destroyed it in Jesus (Isaiah 53:6). In Jesus, God took on our foolishness and gave us his wisdom. And the resurrection of Jesus proves that God will rescue those who fall prey to the evil of the foolish. God let Jesus die like a fool, but he raised Jesus like the good and wise son who pleases him in every way. Jesus’ death consumed selfish foolishness, so now fools can call on God, become wise, and do good! And through Jesus, God kills the proud and rescues his people!

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who saves his people from the fools’ corruption. And may you see Jesus as the good and wise son who let fools devour him so that they can become wise and good like him.