Psalm 53 – The Folly Of Atheism

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 19 Nov. 2023

Introduction:

v.1 What Is Wrong With The World?

vs. 2 What God Wants

v. 3 The Ubiquity Of The Problem

v. 4 Wicked Don’t Know God Or Call Upon Him

v. 5 God’s Judgment On The Ungodly

v. 6 God Will Save His People

Conclusion


Psalm 53 Side-by side comparison of versionsA

Vulgate (Ps. 52)B

LXXC
(Ps. 52)

Brenton (Vaticanus)D

KJVE
Ps. 53

NAW
Ps. 53

Masoretic Txt Ps53F

MT Ps. 14G

NAW Ps. 14

PeshittaH Ps. 53

1 in finem pro Melech intellegen­tiae David dixit insipi­ens in corde suo non est Deus
2 corrupti sunt et ab­ominabiles facti sunt [in] iniqui­tatibus non est qui faciat bonum

1 Εἰς τὸ τέλοςI, ὑπὲρ μαελεθJ· συνέσεως τῷ Δαυιδ. 2 Εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ Οὐκ ἔστιν θεός. διεφθάρη­σαν καὶ ἐβδελύχθη­σαν [ἐν] ἀνομίαιςK, οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν ἀγαθόν.

1 For the end, a Psalm of David upon Maeleth, of instruction. The 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.

1 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.

1 For the concertmaster over choirs, a thought-provoking one by David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God!” They have caused corruption and unjustly committed atrocities. There is no one who does good.

(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַL עַל מָחֲלַתM מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד. (ב) אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים הִשְׁחִיתוּ וְהִתְעִיבוּN עָוֶלO אֵין עֹשֵׂה טוֹב.

א לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ X X X לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ xהִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִי[לָ֗ה] אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־
טֽוֹב׃

1. For the concertmaster, X X X belonging to David. A fool said in his heart, “There is no God!” They have caused corruption; they have made [their] exploits abhorrent. There is no one who does good.




2
אמר עולא בלבה דלית אלהא אתחבלו ואתטנפו [ב]עול[הון] [ו]לית דעבד טבתא

3 Deus de caelo pros­pexit in filios hom­inum ut videat si est intellegens [aut]; requirens Deum

3 ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ οὐραν­οῦ διέκυψ­εν ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦ ἰδεῖν εἰ ἔστιν συνίων [] ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν.

2 God looked down from heaven up­on the sons of men, to see if there were [any] that under­stood, [or] sought after God.

2 God look­ed down from heav­en upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

2 As for God, from the heavens He looked down over the descendants of Adam to see – Is there an insightful man? One who seeks God?

(ג) אֱ‍לֹהִיםP מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁקִיףQ
עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם לִרְאוֹת הֲיֵשׁ מַשְׂכִּיל דֹּרֵשׁ אֶת אֱלֹהִים.

ב יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֪יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־
אֱלֹהִֽים׃

2. As for Yahweh, from the heavens He looked down over the descendants of Adam to see - Is there an insightful man, one who seeks God?

3 אלהא אדיק מן שׁמיא על בנינשׁא דנחזא
אן אית דסכולתן [ו]בעא לאלהא

4 omnes declinaver­unt simul inutiles facti sunt non est qui faciat bonum non est usque ad unum

4 πάντες ἐξέκλινανR, ἅμα ἠχρεώ­θησανS, οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν ἀγαθόν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός.T

3 They have all gone out of the way, they are together be­come un­profitable; there is none that does good, there is not even one.

3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

3 Indeed everyone has regressed, together they have become tainted. There is no one who does good – there is not even one!

(ד) כֻּלּוֹU סָגV יַחְדָּו נֶאֱלָחוּ אֵין עֹשֵׂה טוֹב אֵין גַּם אֶחָד.

ג [הַ]כֹּ֥לx סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֪ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּW
אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־
ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃

3. [The] entirety X has turned away, together they have become tainted, there is not one who does good – there is not even one!

4 כלהון סטו אכחדא [ו]אתטנפו [ו]לית דעבד טבתא אף לא חד

5 nonne scient [om­nes]; qui operantur iniquitatem qui devor­ant plebem meam ut cibum panis 6 Deum non invoca­verunt

5 οὐχὶ γνώ­σονται [πάντες] οἱ ἐργαζόμεν­οι τὴν ἀνομίαν; οἱ Xἔσθοντες τὸν λαόν μου βρώ­σειY ἄρτου τὸν θεὸν οὐκ ἐπεκα­λέσαντο.

4 Will none of the workers of iniquity know, who devour my people [as] they would eat bread? they have not called upon God.

4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

4 Haven’t {any of} the workers of iniquity known – the ones who eat up my people [like] they eat bread? They did not call upon God!

(ה) הֲלֹא יָדְעוּZ פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן אֹכְלֵי עַמִּי אָכְלוּ לֶחֶם אֱלֹהִיםAA לֹא קָרָאוּAB.

ד הֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ [כָּל] פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶםAC יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃

4. Haven’t they known - [all] the workers of iniquity, the ones who eat my people [like] they eat bread? They did not call upon Yahweh.

5 ולא ידעו [כל] עבדי עולא [אילין] דאכלין הוו לעמי מאכולתא דלחמא [ול]אלהא לא קרו

illic trepi­dabunt timore [ubi] non fuit timor quoni­am Deus dissipavit ossa eorum qui homini­bus placent confusi sunt quoniam Deus sprevit eos

6 ἐκεῖ φοβηθή­σονταιAD φόβον, [οὗ] οὐκ ἦν φόβος, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς διε­σκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρω­π­αρέσκωνAE· κατῃσχύνθησαν, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἐξου­δένωσενAF αὐτούς.

There were they greatly afraid, [where] there was no fear: 5 For God has scatter­ed the bones of the men-pleas­ers; they were ashamed, for God despised them.

5 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.

5 They were dreadfully terrified there,{where} there should not have been terror, because God scattered the bones of {men-pleas­ers. They were} ashamed because God rejected them.

(ו) שָׁם פָּחֲדוּ פַחַדAG לֹא הָיָה פָחַד כִּי אֱלֹהִים פִּזַּרAH עַצְמוֹתAI

חֹנָךְAJ הֱבִשֹׁתָהAK כִּי אֱלֹהִים מְאָסָםAL.

ה שָׁ֤ם׀ פָּ֣חֲדוּ פָ֑חַד X X X כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים [בְּ]ד֣וֹר צַדִּֽיק׃
ו [עֲצַת־]
עָנִ֥י תָבִ֑ישׁוּ

כִּ֖י יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסֵֽהוּ׃

5. They were dreadfully terrified there, X X X for God was [in] the ancestral-home of a righteous man. 6. [The council of] the lowly y’all put to shame, for Yahweh is his refuge.

6 תמן דחלו דחלתא [אתר] דלית הוא דחלתא מטל דאלהא נבדר גרמיהון דאילין [דשׁפרין לבני] אנשׁאAM בהתו מטל דאלהא אסלי אנון

7 quis dabit ex Sion salutare Israhel dum convertit Deus capti­vitatem plebis suae exultabit Iacob [et] laetabitur Israhel

7 τίς δώσει ἐκ Σιων τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Ισραηλ; ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέψαι κύριον τὴν αἰχμαλωσί­αν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀγαλλιάσεται Ιακωβ [καὶ] εὐφρανθή­σεται Ισραηλ.

6 Who will bring the salvationX of Israel out of Sion? When the Lord turns the captiv­ity of his people, Jacob shall exult, [and] Israel shall be glad.

6 Oh that the salva­tionX of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bring­eth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

6 If only Israel’s salvation would come into being from Zion! When God turns back His people’s backsliding, Jacob will rejoice, {and} Israel will be happy.

(ז) מִיAN יִתֵּן AOמִצִּיּוֹן יְשֻׁעוֹתAP יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב אֱלֹהִיםAQ שְׁבוּתAR עַמּוֹ יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב ASיִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל.

ז מִ֥י יִתֵּ֣ן מִצִּיּוֹן֮ יְשׁוּעַ֪ת יִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה שְׁב֣וּת עַמּ֑וֹ יָגֵ֥ל יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב יִשְׂמַ֥ח יִשְׂרָֽאֵל׃

7. If only Israel’s salvation would come into being from Zion! When Yahweh turns back His people’s captivity, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be happy.

7 מן נתל מן צהיון פורקנא [ל]איסריל מא דמהפך מריא שׁביתא דעמה נדוץ יעקוב [ו]נחדא איסראיל


1Including “dance” (Groves-Wheeler), and “musical instrument” (Cohen) and “tuning” (G.Wilson) – all of which could also fit the idea of an adaptation motivated by a different artistic medium. On the other hand is the definitions “sickness” (BDB), or “travailing in pain” (Augustine) – which would require a different explanation along the lines of adapting Psalm 14 to make it a relevant response to some later tragedy experienced by God’s people.

2According to Cohen, Malbim suggested that Psalm 14 was written in David’s time and Psalm 53 was written in Hezekiah’s time. Spurgeon seemed to think that the same author penned both Psalms, indicating of Psalm 53, “It is evidently expressive of a higher state of realisation in the poet, he emphasises the truth by stronger expressions.” G. Wilson was just as adamant in the other direction that an exilic community was behind this Psalm.

3Delitzsch summarized earlier rabbinical comments by writing, “A later poet, perhaps belonging to the time of Jehoshaphat or Hezekiah, has here adapted the Davidic Psalm to some terrible catastrophe that has just taken place, and given a special character to the universal announcement of judgment.”

4“Just as הִשְׁהִיתוּ reminds one of the history of the Flood, so does לִרְאֹות of the history of the building of the tower of Babel, Gen. 11:5” ~Delitzsch

5This is what I assume, since it’s the only other place in the Bible besides Psalm 14 that this verb “become filthy/ corrupt” appears.

6Cf. Augustine: “every day,” Calvin: “C’est, n’en font non plus de conscience, que de manger un morceau de pain,” Spurgeon: “daily, ravenously,” Kimchi: “with apparent ease,” G. H. Wilson: “casual attitude”

7“[T]he phrase, calling upon God, as it constitutes the principal exercise of godliness, it includes by synecdoche… the whole of the service of God.” ~Calvin

8A Jewish Rabbinical tradition flips it around, saying that it describes Hezekiah and the Jews who were afraid of the Assyrian army when it laid siege to Jerusalem (Cohen, quoting Malbim & Metsudath David).

9John 11:48 “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” (NKJV)

10For instance, in Psalms previous to this: 6:10, 25:3, 31:17, 35:4 & 26, 40:14, 44:7

11G. Wilson offered the following proof texts for this: Ps. 74:2, 76:2, 132:13, 135:21, 9:11, 84:7, 110:2, 99:2, 149:2, 128:5, 133:3, 134:3, 50:2, 14:7, 20:2, 53:6

12Although it is used in the context of Job’s return to prosperity Job 42:10: “And the LORD returned Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (NKJV)

13While the Jewish commentators naturally assume the converse, Calvin wrote, “the structure of the psalm very clearly shows that David means rather the domestic tyrants and enemies of the faithful than foreign ones.” Calvin, however, refers it to the time of Saul. Augustine also wrote that it speaks of Jews, not Gentiles, and Dr. Cleveland Coxe, who translated Augustine’s works for the Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers Compilation, called this verse, “A prophetic prolepsis of the Captivity; but stretching forward to the final restoration…” Delitzsch added, “What the psalmist says, applies primarily to Israel, his immediate neighbours, but at the same time to the heathen, as is self-evident. What is lamented is neither the pseudo-Israelitish corruption in particular, nor that of the heathen, but the universal corruption of man…” Gerald Wilson, on the other hand suggests that verse 7 was not prophetic but rather was added later during the Babylonian exile and referred particularly to the longing of the Jewish exiles.

14although Spurgeon made a plausible point that “Jacob” and “Israel” could represent two stages of following God: “Jacob” could represent believers who are still struggling and wrestling with God, and “Israel” could represent believers who have prevailed and received God’s blessing, so this would apply not only at the beginning of your spiritual life but even in your mature years.

15“The judgment is inclusive, including you and me as well as those at whom we are wont to point the finger.” ~G.Wilson

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions force me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scrolls containing Psalm 53 are 4Q83 Psalmsa (which contains parts of verses 1-6 and dates between 200-100 BC), and 4Q85 Psalmsc (which contains part of v.1 and dates around 50 AD). Where the DSS is legible and reads the same as the MT, the Hebrew text is colored purple. Where the DSS and ancient versions support each other against the MT in such a way that I suspect they are the original reading, I have highlighted them with yellow.

BJerome's Latin Vulgate w/ Deuterocanon using Gallican Psalter, 405 AD. As published electronically by E-Sword.

CThis Greek New Testament (GNT) is the 1904 "Patriarchal" edition of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine majority text of the GNT and the Textus Receptus are very similar. The Westcott-Hort, Nestle-Aland, and UBS editions are a slightly-different family of GNTs developed in the modern era as a break from the traditional Greek Bible by compiling just a few of the oldest-known manuscripts, but even so, the practical differences in the text between these two editing philosophies are minimal.

DEnglish translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, 1851, “based upon the text of the Vaticanus” but not identical to the Vaticanus. As published electronically by E-Sword.

E1769 King James Version of the Holy Bible; public domain. As published electronically by E-Sword.

FFrom the Wiki Hebrew Bible https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D.
DSS text comes from https://downloads.thewaytoyahuweh.com

GVariants between Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are colored orange.

HThe Leiden Peshitta, Copyright © 2012 by The Peshitta Foundation c/o Leiden University Institute for Religious Studies, as published electronically in BibleWorks.

ISecond century Greek versions by Aquilla, Symmachus, and Theodotion all rendered the Hebrew title menatzech as some form of the Greek word nikos (“victory/conquest”), while the LXX (and Vulgate) rendered it as “end.”

JSecond century Greek versions by Aquilla, Symmachus, and Theodotion (as well as “E”) all rendered this Hebrew title mechalat with a form of χορεια (“choirs”).

KInstead of the LXX “in lawlessnesses” Symmachus rendered it epethdeusan meta adikiaV (“they fly? after unrighteousness”).

LSecond century Greek versions by Aquilla, Symmachus, and Theodotion all rendered the Hebrew title menatzech as some form of the Greek word nikos (“victory/conquest”), while the LXX and Vulgate rendered it as “end.”

MThis designation is not in Psalm 14. Augustine interpreted it as “to the one travailing, or in pain,” and therefore interpreted the whole Psalm as “He is comforting the [godly] man that groaneth [under the evil of the ungodly].” BDB and Strong assigned the root meaning of the word to mean “sick/weak;” Cohen agreed with the meaning of “sickness” but suggested it was an “abbreviation” of the longer title Mahalath Leannoth in Psalm 88 and might have been “the name of a musical instrument.” G. Wilson also thought it might be a harp “tune or tuning.” Groves-Wheeler Westminster Morphology and Lemma Database assigned the root meaning “dance;” Holladay was not willing to associate any meaning with it beyond “musical term.” It appears in only three other passages in the Hebrew O.T.: in the superscription of Psalm 88, and in Gen. 28:9 and 2 Chr. 11:18 as the names of women. Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotian (and later Jerome) all rendered this word “choirs” (with some form of coreia). Kittel noted that this could be supported with the unpointed Hebrew text, but it would require the MT pointing to be מְחֹלֹת instead of what it is (מָחֲלַת).

NThe footnote in the BHS about the Targum supporting the Peshitta’s (and Psalm 14’s) omission of the vav conjunction here is misleading, since the Targums actually have a stronger independent conjunction here, which leans in support of the MT. But the overall meaning is not substantially changed by the presence or non-presence of a conjunction here.

OLXX, Vulgate, Peshitta have plural forms of “iniquity/injustice,” but it is singular in the MT and Targums. Delitzsch commented on why this word was substituted for the word עֲלִילָה in Psalm 14: “the expression is rendered more bombastic by the use of עָוֶל instead of עֲלִילָה.

PElohim... in this instance is a proper name of equal dignity with the name Jahve.” ~Delitszch (who saw the systematic substitution of Elohim for Yahweh in this psalm as evidence that David did not write this edition of the psalm)

QAugustine commented, “if God looketh out from Heaven, in order that He may see if there is one understanding or seeking after God; there stealeth upon an unwise man the thought, that God knoweth not all things... The question then is solved as followeth: ofttimes the Scripture speaketh in such manner, that what by the gift of God a creature doth, God is said to do.…For hence has been said the following also, ‘For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the depth of God;’ not because He that knoweth all things searcheth, but because to thee hath been given the Spirit, which maketh thee also to search: and that which by His own gift thou doest, He is said to do; because without Him thou wouldest not do it: therefore God is said to do, when thou doest.…And because this by the gift of God thou doest, God from heaven is ‘looking forth upon the sons of men.’”

RAquilla rendered the MT more literally with paV autoV apestrafh.

S2nd century Greek versions used a different verb root επλακησαν (“stricken”?) with a prefix (A. = sun- , S. = peri-), emphasizing their “damaged” nature (as the MT does) rather than their lack of “usefulness” (emphasized by the verb choice of the LXX).

TThe Septuagint of Psalm 14 has a bit of extra text at this point which is not here in the Septuagint of Psalm 53. That extra text is not in the MT of Psalm 14, but contains quotes from Psalm 5:10, 140:3, 10:7, 36:1, Prov. 1:16 and Isa. 59:7.

UThis subject is in the most emphatic position. DSS = כיל – which doesn’t exist as a word or root in Davidson’s Analytical Lexicon, although seems to support the LXX and Vulgate (“all”) which don’t have the 3ms pronoun suffix (“every one”) found in the MT. The Targums and Peshitta have a 3mp pronoun suffix (“all of them”). It is curious that the KJV, NASB, and ESV abandoned their usual preference for the MT and translated according to the Targums and Peshitta. Psalm 14 has no pronoun suffix but has a definite article prefix (“The all”).

VIn the MT (followed by Aquilla, KJV, NASB, NIV), this verb is singular, but LXX, Vulgate, Peshitta, and Targums ‎ (זרו) all changed it to plural (“they turned” – followed by ESV). There is also some debate over whether the verb should be סר (“turn away” – NASB, NIV, Targums, Psalm 14) or סג (“go back” – MT, KJV, ESV). The meanings are so close that I am not sure which way the Peshitta, LXX and Vulgate lean. Cohen commented that, although the “verbs have much the same meaning… sag is used especially of backsliding and is therefore more emphatic.”

WRare verb only found here, in the parallel verse in Psalm 14, and in Job 15:16. Cohen preferred the translation “taint.”

XSymmachus kept the same spelling as LXX, but Aquilla and Theodotian added the prefix κατ- (lit. “eat down”). The MT has no such specialization to its Hebrew verb for “eat.”

Yfeed on” cf. Symmachus’ and Theodotion’s synonym efagon (ate”).

ZLXX, Syriac, Targums, & Vulgate, all add “all,” which matches Psalm 14.

AAPsalm 14 uses יהוה here instead of elohim, but it refers to the same personal God.

ABI am unsure whether the DSS is illegible at the last letter of this word (and therefore supports the MT, LXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta) or whether it actually left out the final letter found in the MT (and therefore has a singular rather than plural subject). This question could be resolved by examining the scroll’s image at: https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q83-1

ACAugustine interpreted “as they eat bread” to mean “Without intermission, without cessation” seeing as bread was eaten at every meal.

ADAquilla (eptohqhsan “they were frightened”) and Symmachus (eqambhqhsan “they trembled with fear”) offered synonyms closer to the MT vocabulary, whereas the LXX uses the simpler vocabulary word for “fear.”

AEAquilla & Symmachus followed the MT tradition with = paremballw (“encamped around”).

AFAquilla picked up on the meaning of “rejection” (NASB, ESV) in the Hebrew word ma’as with aperriyen (“threw away”), whereas Symmachus picked up on the meaning of “despised” (KJV, NIV) in the same Hebrew word with apedokimasen (“disregarded”) – which is also the sense of the LXX here (“made nothing of”).

AGHere the LXX, Vulgate, Targums, and Peshitta all add a relative pronoun “where.” The following phrase “terror did not exist” is not in Psalm 14. Targums offer the explanation that what they were afraid of was their “idols” but they shouldn’t have been afraid of them.

AHThis is the first instance in the Bible of this verb. Later it occurs again in the negative sense of “broken up/scattered” (Est. 3:8; Ps. 89:11; 141:7; Jer. 50:17; Joel 4:2), but also in the positive sense of “distributed/handed out widely” (Psalm 112:9; 147:16; Prov. 11:24; Jer. 3:13). Especially cf. Psalm 141:7 “...our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

AITargums renders “bones” as “might,” but all the other texts read “scattered the bones.” Psalm 14 instead has “was in the generation of the righteous.”

AJLXX, Vulgate, Peshitta all read “men-pleasers” instead of the MT (and Aq. and Symm.) “those encamped against you.” Targums renders it “army-camp of sinners.” In Psalm 14 it is instead “the counsel of the lowly.” If the final letter is supposed to be the pronoun “you,” the final vowel is irregular (should be a qamets instead). Kittel suggested that the final letter should instead be a pe, changing the meaning from “camp you” to “covered” (or possibily the Aramaic “scraped”), but all the manuscripts without exception have coph as the last letter.

AKThe reading of the LXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta (“they were ashamed”) makes more sense than the reading of the MT (and Targum and English versions) because with the latter, the identity of “you” and “them” is confused.

ALPsalm 14 reads “refuge/stronghold” instead of “rejected/despised.”

AMPeshitta reads “of those who are pleasing to men” instead of the MT “those who encamp against me.” Lamsa’s translation of the Peshitta reads “of hypocrites.”

ANLXX, Vulgate, Peshitta, and Targums all render this word and the next with their literal meanings (“Who will give...?”) whereas the standard English versions all render the phrase figuratively in the sense of “if only” all of the 17 times it occurs in the Hebrew Bible (Ex. 16:3; Deut. 5:29; 28:67; 2 Sam. 18:33; Job 6:8; 11:5; 13:5; 14:4,13; 19:23; 23:3; 31:31,35; Psalms 14:7; 53:6; 55:6; Jer. 9:1).

AODSS has three extra letters in front of this word, changing the meaning to “in Zion’s day” ביוםציון instead of “from Zion.” No other manuscript seems to carry this variant, however.

APThis word is plural in the MT, but it is singular in the LXX, Vulgate, Targums, Peshitta, and all the English versions, as well as in Psalm 14. It would be easy to miss this difference in spelling in copying over Psalm 14, so it’s hard to tell whether Psalm 14 biased copiers toward the singular or whether there was some manuscript reason why the versions did not use the plural form found in the MT (what a pity that the DSS became illegible at this word and not after this word!). Plurality would not change the gist of the meaning, although it might add a shade of emphatic-ness or thoroughness to the meaning of “salvation” (Cohen, citing Daath Sofrim. Spurgeon and Delitzsch made the same observation).

AQThe LXX, Peshitta, and Targums all use “Lord” instead of “God” here, comporting with יהוה in Psalm 14. This raises a question about either the accuracy of the elohistic editors or the accuracy of the theory of yahwistic vs. elohistic Psalters.

ARThis has been interpreted by many to mean “Babylonian captivity,” but it is not so specific a word, for it only means “turning” and is dramatically placed right after its verb form where “God turns them,” so the Psalmist is anticipating God to turn back onto the right way people who had turned away from God to the wrong way. This fits with the synonym in v.3 “all have turned away.” This is what resulted in them becoming “corrupt,” “abominable,” “unjust,” “tainted” “workers of wickedness” “rejected” by God. The only hope is for them to “call upon God” and for God to “extend salvation” to them and “turn them back.” Granted, the majority of occurrences of this word for “turning” in the Hebrew O.T. refer to the “Babylonian captivity” but then again, the majority of occurrences of this word occur hundreds of years after David. If you take into consideration what scripture was written by the time of David, then there were only two other instances of this word in scripture, one in the book of Job referring to a slump in health and assets, and one in the book of Deuteronomy prophesying the Babylonian captivity.

ASLXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta (followed by the NIV) add “and” here. Targums support the simpler reading of the MT. This doesn’t change the meaning, though. Either way, these appear to be parallel phrases meaning the same thing, Jacob and Israel being the same historical person, although perhaps the two names could be differentiated to refer to him in a state of spiritual immaturity vs. later life in covenant with God.

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