The Foolishness Of Denying God

Psalm 53:1-6

To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.

The word Mahalath means sickness, while Maschil means circumspect.  Thus the description is of a Psalm about being aware of the sickness of certain attitudes, specifically that God doesn’t exist. 

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.: (Psalm 53:1)

Everything in nature clearly indicates a logical creator with a plan for the design.  Romans 1:18-23 tells us, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Because mankind does not wish to acknowledge God plan or live by his standards they have chosen to deny his existence and authority, substituting other things in his place.  In doing so they have angered God.  Their choice has not changed the facts of his existence and power.  II Peter 3:5-7 tells us, “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”  Their decision will only result in their destruction, because they have deliberately gone against God’s plan.  In their efforts to prove they are too smart to believe in God, they have made themselves fools. 

“God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:2-3)

Humanity as a whole is convinced of their basic goodness, but God sees the reality, as we see in Romans 3:10-17.  “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.  They have no respect toward God or his laws. 

“Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.” (Psalm 53:4)

The people who deliberately sin are as foolish as the person who tries to catch a bear cub, ignoring the mother bear’s presence.    She will certainly attack the person in an effort to protect the cub, and those who have harmed God’s people should expect the same response from God.  It is sheer stupidity to think he will not act.    

“There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.” (Psalm 53:5)

As long as the mother bear does not see a person as a threat, she will not attack.  When one deliberately goes after her cub, he has made himself a threat, and she attacks, forcing him to seek safety elsewhere.  She will not stop attacking until the threat is removed, often by death and dismemberment.    God will destroy those who have proven a threat to his people just as completely. 

“Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” (Psalm 53:6)

Like the captured bear cub, hoping for its mother to rescue it, Israel was waiting for God to come to their rescue.  When he did, there would be a lot of rejoicing.  The statements here indicates that this Psalm was probably written about the time of the Philistine occupation after Saul was killed, in I Samuel 31.