Psalm 53

Psalm 53  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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I do not think this Psalm and Psa. 14 are the same thing; that is the blessing of the faithful Jews by the Lord in spite of the ungodly-this is the destruction of the ungodly Gentiles also by God. Compare Psa. 14:55There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. (Psalm 14:5), and verse 5 of this Psalm.
The thesis is in verse 1, “the fool"; the folly of saying "There is no God," proved by God's being in the congregation of the righteous. This, in His character of “the Lord," by His confounding and scattering the camp of their enemies, proved there was a God, and proved it to them.
This is a remarkable Psalm from the connection between the evil ones of Israel and the enemies, and the position in which they find themselves. We know from the Apostle (Rom. 3) that those under the law, Jews, are spoken of. But the principle averred of them, stating a general principle is “No God"—God's judgment, looking down, is "None that doeth good, no, not one." It is, in effect, the revelation that, when God looked down He found no good, not even in the Jews—His people nominally. This always true, then manifested—He views them as God, not in Jerusalem but looking down from heaven at men; for Israel are lost, as men thence, and indeed Lo-ammi. It is every one-man bn'ey Adam (the sons of Adam). “The workers of iniquity" is the general character—the Jews are found in it. In Ezek. 34 the conduct even of the Jews may be seen-it left Him a “prey to the beasts," the heathen. “My people," the Remnant are called here in effect, according to Psa. 46, consequently they, the unrighteous Jews, were in fear where there was no need for fear. The sinners in Zion are afraid, though they have made a covenant with death, and are at agreement with hell. But there was no need to fear from this pride of men, for God scattered the bones of those who were encamped against Jerusalem. God, there is the question of righteousness-the others said en Elohim (no God)—despised them. Then the desire of the Spirit of Christ in the Remnant—when God does that, they wait, for He, that is, “brings back the captivity of his people." It is out of Zion first in a Remnant; compare Psa. 126 Jacob and Israel, the whole people, shall rejoice, and Israel be glad. The existence and judgment (and afterward actings) of God are the great question in this Psalm, partly adduced by the Apostle to determine all question of righteousness for man, as in man- salvation is another thing; it is cited as said to those under the Law.
This class of Psalms, i.e., from Psa. 42 to the end of Psa. 72, takes up the condition, not merely of what Christ found Himself amongst the Jews, but in and as a separate Remnant, who were concerned in the union of the evil, antichristian power, the apostasy, and the body of the Jews driven out, even as we have seen in Psa. 42, but the character of God in question in the earth from heaven, when He is what He is—not the Lord in covenant in Jerusalem-the deliverance and interference of God in mercy to the Jews, properly, guilty of bloodguiltiness. God, in pure grace, begins with the worst through Messiah whom they rejected, but united in His love with this separated Remnant, then y'chidim (solitary ones). Deliverance being given in Zion, God having scattered the bones of those who encamped against it, the desire for the deliverance and joy of Israel and Jacob bursts forth, and withal is accomplished, as noticed already, in Psa. 126 The next Book takes up, I think, Israel and Zion restored, therefore bringing in Jehovah and the position of God therefore also. After that, save in Psa. 107 which is a special circumstance, there is mention of Jehovah only.
We have then five divisions of the Psalms. First Psa. 41- the principles of the presence of Christ's Spirit among the Jews. Psa. 72—His connection with the Remnant separate as to, and manifested in Zion, when antichrist and the Jews are connected; the world wicked-universal. Psa. 89—Zion, the nation, Israel, still to be looked after or brought in, with Christ's dealings, God Jehovah's. dealings with them; Psalm 106—a wider scene—the connection of Christ, Israel, and the heathen, and the glory and blessing of Creation—the world ever opposed; the halo of what the millennial glory shall be in its introduction—Christ the Creator, if the Man of sorrows, as well as Head of Israel, and Jehovah—Psalm 150. Then, I take it, some fuller development and special relationships of Israel—their condition, circumstances, and praises in such a time as the earthly center of such a time. I have not so fully looked into this.