A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM LIII.
_David describeth the corruption of a natural man.—He convinceth the wicked by the light of their own conscience.—He glorieth in the salvation of God._ To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil. _A Psalm_ of David. 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. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were _any_ that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy: _there is_ none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people _as_ they eat bread: they have not called upon God. 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 despised them. Oh 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. This Psalm is a prophecy like that of Psalm xiv; and it is a Psalm of instruction. The two Psalms are of the same purport, and contain almost the same words and expressions. In a word, they both cut at hypocrites and self-justifiers, who persecute the sound doctrine and its preachers; and at the close they give a prophetic declaration concerning the gospel, and the kingdom of Christ which should proceed out of Zion.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.