"The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.” (v.1)
There is something very fresh and current about Psalm 53. Though David penned this psalm in about 1000 BC, he is describing today’s world. The fools of the world (the atheists) are still busy spouting their lies, “There is no God.” Though the fool observes that there is no God, it is God’s observations on mankind that strike me as being more accurate: They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
When God is taken out of the picture, corruption runs rampant, and no set of laws or regulations will change that. The problem is not laws or regulations; the problem is the state of a person’s heart. Without the love and fear of God, restraint is cast off and everyone does what is right in their own eyes. (See Judges 21:25.) Thus, the fool doesn’t stop at claiming there is no God, but takes matters to the next logical step. In the absence of God, he asserts that he is god, seeing himself as is the master of his own domain and not accountable to anyone else.
Just as David speaks of the universal corruption of man here in Psalm 53, the Apostle Paul in talking to the Jews of his day, quoted this psalm to remind them, “there is none righteous”, which includes those who had the promise of God (Romans 3:9-12). Therefore, we all need to guard against thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, for there are no degrees of sin - sin is sin. Scripture tells us that, “Whom the Lord loves, He also chastens” (Hebrews 12:6). Meaning, God will get the attention of the sinning believer to bring about repentance and renew fellowship with Him. But, to those who deny Him, their sin is unto death both physical and spiritual. Thus earning the label, “the fool”.
The answer then is to get smart and recognize there is a God who created all things and can keep your soul from hell.
The Truth: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
