Psalm 53 (which largely repeats Psalm 14) is a description of the man or woman who foolishly tries to live without God.

I'm sure that the placement of this psalm after Psalm 52 is deliberate. Doeg was a wicked man who killed God's faithful people because his heart was corrupt and he had no fear of God. He is an example of the ″fool″ that David describes in Psalm 53.

By his actions, Doeg showed he didn't believe in God. But he probably would have said he did. The people of the ancient world weren't atheists. Many people intellectually affirm there is a God, but this belief doesn't express itself in how they live. Their lives actually proclaim, ″there is no God″ (Psalm 53:1). This is the kind of person Psalm 53 is describing. True belief in God is expressed in a life of obedience.

Psalm 53 describes three features of the fool who denies God. First, their deeds are corrupt (vv. 1-3). Apostle Paul quotes this psalm in his letter to the Romans (see Romans 3:10-12). He gives many examples of this kind of corruption: their lives are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, and they are gossips, slanderers, God haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful (Romans 1:28-32). It's not a pretty picture of the character of human beings but it's an accurate diagnosis of a universal condition, ″there is no one who does good″ (Psalm 53:1).

Second, such people, ″devour my people as though eating bread″ (v. 4). We saw this in Doeg's slaughter of God's priests. We saw it also in the wickedness of the Jewish leaders who killed Jesus, and later persecuted His followers. We've seen it throughout history as God's people have consistently been persecuted and ″devoured″ because of their love for the Lord Jesus.

The third feature of the fool is that they ″never call on God″ (v. 4). They saw no need for God in their life and never cried out to Him. But a day of terror is coming for the fool (v. 5). While alive, they thought they had nothing to fear about God, even though He sees all that they do. One day, though, they'll meet God and realise their folly. But then it will be too late.

Like Psalm 52, this psalm ends with the hope of God bringing salvation from Israel. The Hebrew word for ″salvation″ is Yeshua or Joshua or Jesus. The ultimate hope of ancient Israel is our hope, the true Saviour and King, Jesus.

Psalm 53 is really a loving warning to all the practical atheists in the world. Stop ignoring God. Become wise and turn to Jesus ″who rescues us from the coming wrath″ (1 Thessalonians 1:10).