The Fool's Denial of God
Psalms 52
The psalm describes the fool who says in his heart that there is no God, and laments that all mankind has turned away and become corrupt, with none who seeks after the Lord or does good. It closes with a longing for salvation to come out of Sion, when the Lord will turn the captivity of his people and Jacob will rejoice.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
Thomson—
BrentonFor the end, a Psalm of David upon Maeleth, of instruction.
GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ μαελὲθ συνέσεως τῷ Δαυίδ.
KJV—
JPSFor the Leader; upon Mahalath. Maschil of David.
2
ThomsonTHE fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves and are become abominable by iniquities, there is none who doeth good.
BrentonThe fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, and become abominable in iniquities: there is none that does good.
GreekΕἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἔστι Θεός· διέφθειραν, καὶ ἐβδελύχθησαν ἐν ἀνομίαις· οὐκ ἔστι ποιῶν ἀγαθόν.
KJVThe fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
JPSThe fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; They have dealt corruptly, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none that doeth good.
3
ThomsonGod looked down from heaven on the children of men to see if any had understanding or were seeking God.
BrentonGod looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after God.
GreekὉ Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διέκυψεν ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ ἔστι συνιῶν, ἢ ἐκζητῶν τὸν Θεόν.
KJVGod looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
JPSGod looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after God.
4
ThomsonThey had all turned aside: they are all together become vile. There is none doing good: no not one.
BrentonThey have all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, there is not even one.
GreekΠάντες ἐξέκλιναν, ἅμα ἠχρειώθησαν, οὐκ ἔστι ποιῶν ἀγαθὸν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός.
KJVEvery one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
JPSEvery one of them is unclean, they are together become impure; There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
5
ThomsonThey will not bethink themselves, they are all working iniquity, they are eating up My people as they do bread? They have not called upon God.
BrentonWill none of the workers of iniquity know, who devour my people as they would eat bread? they have not called upon God. There were they greatly afraid, where there was no fear:
GreekΟὐχὶ γνώσονται πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, οἱ κατεσθίοντες τὸν λαόν μου βρώσει ἄρτου; τὸν Θεὸν οὐκ ἐπεκαλέσαντο.
KJVHave the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
JPS’Shall not the workers of iniquity know it, Who eat up My people as they eat bread, And call not upon God?'
6
ThomsonThey were seized with terror on the spot where there was no fear; because God had scattered the bones of men pleasers. They were put to shame because God despised them.
Brentonfor God has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers; they were ashamed, for God despised them.
GreekἘκεῖ ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον, οὗ οὐκ ἦν φόβος· ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς διεσκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρωπαρέσκων, κατῃσχύνθησαν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐξουδένωσεν αὐτούς.
KJVThere 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.
JPSThere are 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 rejected them.
7
ThomsonO that He would for Sion’s sake grant safety to Israel! When the Lord hath released the captivity of His people Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad.
BrentonWho will bring the salvation of Israel out of Sion? When the Lord turns the captivity of his people, Jacob shall exult, and Israel shall be glad.
GreekΤίς δώσει ἐκ Σιὼν τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ; ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι Κύριον τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἀγαλλιάσεται Ἰακὼβ, καὶ εὐφρανθήσεται Ἰσραήλ.
KJVOh 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.
JPSOh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.