Psalms

Psalm 53:2–4

2God looks down from heaven

upon the sons of men

to see if any understand,

if any seek God.

3All have turned away,

they have together become corrupt;c

there is no one who does good,

not even one.d

4Will the workers of iniquity never learn?

They devour my people like bread;

they refuse to call upon God.

Footnotes

  • c 53:3 LXX worthless
  • d 53:3 Cited in Romans 3:10–12|ROM 3:10-12

Read all of Psalm 53

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 53:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Godאֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים’ĕlō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
looks downהִשְׁקִ֪יףhiš·qîp̄Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH8259 overhang, look out and down
from heavenמִשָּׁמַיִם֮miš·šā·ma·yimPreposition-m; Noun - masculine pluralH8064 sky, aloft
uponעַֽל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the sonsבְּנֵ֫יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
of menאָדָ֥ם’ā·ḏāmNoun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
to seeלִ֭רְאוֹתlir·’ō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7200 see
if anyהֲיֵ֣שׁhă·yêšAdverbH3426 being, substance, existence
understandמַשְׂכִּ֑ילmaś·kîlVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH7919 be prudent
if any seekדֹּ֝רֵ֗שׁdō·rêšVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1875 resort to, seek
Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God

Psalm 53:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Allכֻּלּ֥וֹkul·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
have turned awayסָג֮sāḡVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5472 move away, backslide
they have togetherיַחְדָּ֪וyaḥ·dāwAdverbH3162 unitedness
become corruptנֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּne·’ĕ·lā·ḥūVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralH444 be corrupt
there is noאֵ֤ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
one who doesעֹֽשֵׂה־‘ō·śêh-Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructH6213 do, make
goodט֑וֹבṭō·wḇNoun - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
notאֵ֝֗ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
evenגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
oneאֶחָֽד׃’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one

Psalm 53:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Will the workersפֹּ֤עֲלֵ֫יpō·‘ă·lêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH6466 do, make
of iniquityאָ֥וֶן’ā·wenNoun - masculine singularH205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
neverהֲלֹ֥אhă·lōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
learnיָדְעוּ֮yā·ḏə·‘ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3045 know
They devourאֹכְלֵ֣י’ō·ḵə·lêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH398 eat
my peopleעַ֭מִּי‘am·mîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5971 people
breadלֶ֑חֶםle·ḥemNoun - masculine singularH3899 bread, food
they refuseלֹ֣אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
to callקָרָֽאוּ׃qā·rā·’ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH7121 call, proclaim, read
upon Godאֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 53:2 Isaiah 55:6 · 2 Chronicles 15:2 · Jeremiah 16:17 · Psalm 27:8 · Jeremiah 23:24 · Psalm 111:10 · Psalm 33:13–14 · 2 Chronicles 19:3 · Psalm 102:19 · 1 Chronicles 28:9 · Job 28:28 · Psalm 10:4

Psalm 53:3 Romans 3:12 · Isaiah 64:6 · Isaiah 53:6 · Psalm 14:3 · Jeremiah 8:5–6 · 3 John 1:11

Psalm 53:4 Jeremiah 4:22 · Jeremiah 10:25 · Psalm 27:2 · Psalm 94:8 · Isaiah 27:11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.