Psalm 53:3 Not One

Psalm 53:3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one

Psalm 53 is virtually the same as Psalm 14. The only difference is that the heading of Psalm 14 (For the director of music. Of David) is expanded to say that it is According to mahalath. A maskil and where Psalm14 has the vaguer God Psalm 53 has the more specific the LORD using God's special name. There is also a difference towards the end, the earlier psalm being a verse shorter than the latter. Psalm 14:5, 6 says But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge and Psalm 53:5 says But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them. The difference would seem to lie in the first being applied more generally and the second to God's own people. Such differences encourage us to read the Word more carefully. Looking at Psalm 14 we focused on verse 1 The fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no-one who does good. Here we focus on verse 3, a clear and unambiguous statement of total depravity. The verse affirms three things. First, that men have turned away (due to the unbelief in their hearts) from God, who is looking in vain for seekers. Second, that they have become corrupt. Third, that they do no good. It is not just that some have turned away but Everyone has turned away. It is not just that some have become corrupt but all have become corrupt. Finally, it is not just that some fail to do good - no, there is no one who does good, not even one.