_David describeth the corruption of a natural man.—He convinceth the
wicked by the light of their own conscience.—He glorieth in the
salvation of God._
To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil. _A Psalm_ of David.
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.
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.
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people _as_
they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
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.
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.
This Psalm is a prophecy like that of Psalm xiv; and it is a Psalm of
instruction. The two Psalms are of the same purport, and contain
almost the same words and expressions. In a word, they both cut at
hypocrites and self-justifiers, who persecute the sound doctrine and
its preachers; and at the close they give a prophetic declaration
concerning the gospel, and the kingdom of Christ which should proceed
out of Zion.