Are There Any Who Seek After God – Psalm 53

Of the title for this psalm, Easton’s Bible Dictionary says, “In the title of Psalm 53, denoting that this was a didactic psalm, to be sung to the accompaniment of the lute or guitar. Others regard this word ‘mahalath’ as the name simply of an old air to which the psalm was to be sung. Others, again, take the word as meaning “sickness,” and regard it as alluding to the contents of the psalm.”  What I enjoy about this psalm is the picture of God looking down from heaven on us.  It depicts Him as anything but disinterested in our lives, and, in fact, altogether concerned about how we live.

To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?

There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror!  For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!  When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.  (Psalm 53 ESV)

When someone rejects the truth about God the extent of corruption greatly multiplies.  They learn to excuse what their conscience accuses them of.  But none of us really wants to seek God and submit our understanding to Him.  Yet by His grace some of us have become His people and we will at times find the workers of evil “encamped” against us.  We will look to God to terrorize them in His perfect way to deliver us and restore our fortunes.

Satan, of course, the evil one, is always encamped against us.  He would have us conclude that there is no God and become corrupt.  But the Spirit of God within us is helping us resist the devil.  Rejoice!