Psalms 53:1

The fool A class of men, not a particular individual. The word nâbâlhere used for fool denotes moral perversity, not mere ignorance or weakness of reason. -Folly" is the opposite of -wisdom" in its highest sense. It may be predicated of forgetfulness of God or impious opposition to His will (Deuteronomy 32:6; Deuteronomy 32:21; Job 2:10; Job 42:8; Psalms 74:18; Psalms 74:22): of gross offences against morality (2 Samuel 13:12-13): of sacrilege (Joshua 7:15): of ungenerous churlishness (1 Samuel 25:25). For a description of the -fool" in his -folly" see Isaiah 32:5-6 (A.V. vile person, villany).

hath said in his heart Or, said. This was the deliberate conclusion of men, upon which they acted. Cp. Psalms 10:6; Psalms 10:11; Psalms 10:13.

There is no God Cp. Psalms 10:4. This is not to be understood of a speculative denial of the existence of God; but of a practical denial of His moral government. It is rightly paraphrased by the Targum on Psalms 14:1, -There is no government of God in the earth." Cp. Psalms 73:11; Jeremiah 5:12; Zephaniah 1:12; Romans 1:28 ff.

Corrupt are they&c. Render, They did corrupt and abominable iniquity; there was none doing good. The subject of the sentence is mankind in general. Abandoning a practical belief in God, they depraved their nature, and gave themselves up to practices which God abhors (Psalms 5:6). -Corrupt" describes the self-degradation of their better nature; -abominable" the character of their conduct in the sight of God. Such was the condition of the world before the Flood. See Genesis 6:11-12; and with the last line of the verse cp. Genesis 6:5; Romans 1:18-32 is a commentary on this verse. Men "refused to have God in their knowledge" … "their senseless heart was darkened" … "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." For iniquityPsalms 14 reads doings.