I. ATHEISM. "No God." This implies: 1. Denial of God's existence This is folly. The assertion proves nothing. Negatives are not arguments. Besides, there may be a God, though you, the denier, have not found him. You have not yet explored the universe. 2. Denial of God's moral government of the world. "No God!" if so, then there is nothing but chance. There can be no law without a lawgiver, no order without a controlling mind. "No God!" then we are free to do our own pleasure. "Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die." 3. Denial of God's grace in the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ. "No God]" then the Bible is a fable, heaven and hell are dreams, the benefits of the gospel are a delusion, faith in Christ and the resurrection is a mockery and a lie. II. GODLINESS. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God;" but the wise man says that there is a God, and that "he is the Rewarder of all who diligently seek him." Godliness implies: 1. Faith in God as revealed in Christ Jesus. Here is the satisfaction of the soul. 2. Life ruled by the law of Christ, which is holy, just, and good. Here is the true ideal, and the Spirit, by the gospel, shows how it may be realized. 3. Prayer and holy endeavour to the end. We are not left to struggle alone, but have the Word to guide us, the promises to cheer us, the love of Christ to inspire us, that we may go from strength to strength, and that when called hence we may enter upon the blessed and perfect life beyond this world. Thus the godly witness for God. They testify to his being, for in him they live; to his character, for their aim is to be holy as he is holy; to his will and government, for they strive to do justly as he does justly, and to be merciful as he is merciful, who "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." All the good in themselves, in society, in the world, is from God. What has been is in agreement with what is now. The progress of all things is towards a perfect end. The cross, which overthrew paganism, and triumphed over the eagles of Rome, is destined to win greater and vet greater victories. Yet a little while, and the great voices of heaven shall cry, "The kingdoms of this world arc become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). - W.F.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion. I. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED (ver. 5).1. Utter and irreversible. 2. Effected by God. 3. Overtaking them when they regarded themselves as quite secure. 4. Inflicted because of their hostility to the people of God.(1) He is in covenant relation with His people, and is pledged to help them.(2) He is profoundly and tenderly interested in His people (Isaiah 49:14-16; Matthew 18:5, 6; Matthew 25:40, 45; Acts 9:4). An inspiring and strengthening consideration for the people of God. Motive and encouragement to those who would aid them. Warning to those who would injure them. II. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED IN FORMER TIMES AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE GOOD TO EXPECT SALVATION FROM PRESENT DANGERS. This we take to be the connecting link between verses 5 and 6. 1. The poetic view of salvation. It is here represented as deliverance from captivity. 2. The grand source of salvation. "Out of Zion." 3. The earnest desire of salvation. 4. The encouragement to expect salvation. God is unchangeable. What He has done in the past He is able to do in the present. He is faithful. What He has promised that will He perform. (W. Jones.). Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength. Homilist. I. PIETY PRAYING. The prayer has respect to —1. The character of God (ver. 1). 2. The entreatability of God (ver. 2). 3. The necessity for God (ver. 3). II. PIETY TRUSTING. He had confidence in God — 1. As a Deliverer from his enemies. 2. As the Chastiser of his enemies. III. PIETY WORSHIPPING. 1. Worship is voluntary sacrifice. The offering of self is essential to give virtue and worth to all other offerings. 2. Worship is praise to God. (1) (2) (Homilist.) People David, Jacob, Mahalath, Psalmist, Saul, ZiphitesPlaces JerusalemTopics Bringeth, Brings, Captive, Captivity, Changed, Chief, David, Deliverance, Fate, Fortunes, Glad, Hide, Instruments, Jacob, Joy, Maschil, Musician, O, Oh, Psalm, Rejoice, Restores, Salvation, Saul, Stringed, Turneth, Zion, ZiphitesOutline 1. David describes the corruption of the natural man4. He convinces the wicked by the light of their own conscience 6. He glories in the salvation of God Dictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 53:6Library How the Rude in Sacred Learning, and those who are Learned but not Humble, are to be Admonished. (Admonition 25.) Differently to be admonished are those who do not understand aright the words of the sacred Law, and those who understand them indeed aright, but speak them not humbly. For those who understand not aright the words of sacred Law are to be admonished to consider that they turn for themselves a most wholesome drought of wine into a cup of poison, and with a medicinal knife inflict on themselves a mortal wound, when they destroy in themselves what was sound by that whereby they ought, … Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Psalms Links Psalm 53:6 NIVPsalm 53:6 NLT Psalm 53:6 ESV Psalm 53:6 NASB Psalm 53:6 KJV Psalm 53:6 Bible Apps Psalm 53:6 Parallel Psalm 53:6 Biblia Paralela Psalm 53:6 Chinese Bible Psalm 53:6 French Bible Psalm 53:6 German Bible Psalm 53:6 Commentaries Bible Hub |