Psalms 53:2–4
God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
God looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that did vnderstand, that did seeke God.
Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Euery one of them is gone backe, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doth 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.
Haue the workers of iniquitie no knowledge? who eate vp my people, as they eate bread; they haue not called vpon God.
Narration uses the Pure Cambridge Edition.
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Cross References
15 Essential passages are open for comparison.
From verse 2
- Isaiah 55:6Rank 1 from verse 2
- 2 Chronicles 15:2Rank 2 from verse 2
2And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
2And he went out †to meet Asa, and said vnto him, Heare ye me, Asa, and all Iudah, and Beniamin, The LORD is with you, while yee be with him: and if yee seeke him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
- Jeremiah 16:17Rank 3 from verse 2
- Psalms 27:8Rank 4 from verse 2
- Jeremiah 23:24Rank 5 from verse 2
- Psalms 111:10Rank 6 from verse 2
- 2 Chronicles 19:3Rank 7 from verse 2
3Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
3Neuerthelesse, there *are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groues out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seeke God.
- Psalms 33:13–14Rank 8 from verse 2
13The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
13The LORD looketh from heauen: he beholdeth all the sonnes of men.
14From the place of his habitation, he looketh vpon all the inhabitants of the earth.
- Psalms 102:19Rank 9 from verse 2
- 1 Chronicles 28:9Rank 10 from verse 2
9¶ And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
9¶ *And thou, Solomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfite heart, and with a willing minde: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for euer.
- Psalms 10:4Rank 12 from verse 2
- Psalms 11:4Rank 13 from verse 2
- Deuteronomy 4:6Rank 14 from verse 2
6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
6Keepe therefore, and doe them; for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the nations, which shall heare all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and vnderstanding people.
From verse 3
- Romans 3:12Rank 1 from verse 3
- Isaiah 64:6Rank 2 from verse 3
6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
6*But we are al as an vncleane thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges, and we all doe fade as a leafe, and our iniquities like the wind haue taken vs away.
- Isaiah 53:6Rank 3 from verse 3
- Psalms 14:3Rank 4 from verse 3
- Jeremiah 8:5–6Rank 5 from verse 3
5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
5Why then is this people of Ierusalem slidden backe, by a perpetual backesliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to returne.
6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickednesse, saying, What haue I done? euery one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battell.
- 3 John 1:11Rank 6 from verse 3
- 1 John 2:29Rank 7 from verse 3
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Rank 8 from verse 3
1HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1¶ Hauing therefore these promises (dearely beloued) let vs cleanse our selues from all filthines of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holinesse in the feare of God.
- 2 Samuel 20:2Rank 9 from verse 3
2So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
2So euery man of Israel went vp from after Dauid, and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri: but the men of Iudah claue vnto their king, from Iordane euen to Ierusalem.
- Ezekiel 36:25Rank 10 from verse 3
- Revelation 22:11Rank 12 from verse 3
11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
11He that is vniust, let him be vniust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and hee that is righteous, let him bee righteous still: and hee that is holy, let him be holy still.
- Zephaniah 1:6Rank 13 from verse 3
From verse 4
- Jeremiah 4:22Rank 1 from verse 4
22For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
22For my people is foolish, they haue not knowen me, they are sottish children, and they haue none vnderstanding: they are wise to doe euill, but to doe good they haue no knowledge.
- Jeremiah 10:25Rank 2 from verse 4
25Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
25*Powre out thy fury vpon the heathen that know thee not, and vpon the families that call not on thy Name: for they haue eaten vp Iacob, and deuoured him, and consumed him, and haue made his habitation desolate.
- Psalms 27:2Rank 3 from verse 4
- Isaiah 27:11Rank 4 from verse 4
11When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.
11When the boughes thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come and set them on fire: for it is a people of no vnderstanding: therefore hee that made them will not haue mercie on them, and hee that formed them, will shewe them no fauour.
- Psalms 94:8Rank 5 from verse 4
- Matthew 23:17–39Rank 6 from verse 4
17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34¶ Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
17 Ye fooles and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18And whosoeuer shall sweare by the Altar, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the gift that is vpon it, he is ‖guiltie.
19 Ye fooles and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the Altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20Who so therefore shall sweare by the Altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21And who so shall sweare by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22And he that shall sweare by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; *for yee pay tithe of mint, and annise, and cummine, and haue omitted the weightier matters of the Law, iudgement, mercie and faith: these ought ye to haue done, and not to leaue the other vndone.
24 Ye blind guides, which straine at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; *for yee make cleane the outside of the cup, and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excesse.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may bee cleane also.
27Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for yee are like vnto whited sepulchres, which indeed appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all vncleannesse.
28Euen so, yee also outwardly appeare righteous vnto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie.
29Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30And say, If wee had beene in the dayes of our fathers, wee would not haue bene partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets.
31Wherefore ye bee witnesses vnto your selues, that yee are the children of them which killed the Prophets.
32Fil ye vp then the measure of your fathers.
33Yee serpents, yee generation of vipers, How can yee escape the damnation of hell?
34¶ Wherefore behold, I send vnto you Prophets, and wisemen, and Scribes, and some of them yee shall kill and crucifie, and some of them shall yee scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from citie to citie:
35That vpon you may come all the righteous blood shed vpon the earth, *from the blood of righteous Abel, vnto the blood of Zacharias, sonne of Barachias, whom yee slew betweene the temple and the altar.
36Uerily I say vnto you, All these things shal come vpon this generation.
37*O Hierusalem, Hierusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, *and stonest them which are sent vnto thee, how often would *I haue gathered thy children together, euen as a hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings, and yee would not?
38Behold, your house is left vnto you desolate.
39For I say vnto you, yee shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord.
- Revelation 17:16Rank 7 from verse 4
16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
16And the ten hornes which thou sawest vpon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eate her flesh, and burne her with fire.
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
Definitions
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DEFINED WORDS
Psalms 53:2
The one true God.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of look, meaning to direct the eyes or attention; to behold, observe, expect, or take heed.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
From a higher place or position to a lower one; below.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: The firmament or expanse above the earth, including the sky and the region of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, rain, and flying creatures. Sense 2: The realm above spoken of as God's throne and dwelling place, and as the place of angels, heavenly beings, and the righteous. Sense 3: By metonymy, God, heavenly authority or source, or those who dwell there.
Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sons or daughters; descendants; or persons likened to children by age, relation, or character.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: To perceive or behold with the eyes or in a vision. Sense 2: To observe, examine, discover, ascertain, consider, understand, know, or recognize. Sense 3: To visit, meet, converse with, or be in the presence of. Sense 4: To experience, undergo, endure, or enjoy. Sense 5: To attend to, take care, ensure, or beware.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
COMBINED MEANING
understand
To comprehend, perceive, discern, or know the meaning or significance of something.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
DEFINED WORDS
Psalms 53:3
Each individual or member of the class, group, place, time, side, or kind named; all distributively.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Departed, went away, passed, or advanced to another place or condition.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: The rear part; a position or direction behind. Sense 2: A return to a former place or condition.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
COMBINED MEANING
altogether
Wholly; entirely; completely; without exception.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: Dirty, foul, or unclean. Sense 2: Morally polluted or defiled. Sense 3: Obtained by base or dishonest means.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: Right, morally upright, beneficial, pleasing, useful, suitable, sound, favourable, or excellent. Sense 2: A good thing, benefit, welfare, possession, or goods. Sense 3: In ‘make good,’ to repair, repay, fulfil, establish, or prove.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
DEFINED WORDS
Psalms 53:4
Persons who work, labor, or perform deeds.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Wickedness, unrighteousness, transgression, or sin; the guilt or burden of such wrongdoing.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Understanding or awareness gained by knowing; recognition; what is known.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
To take food into the body; to consume, devour, or waste away.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Persons collectively; a nation, community, or group considered as a body.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of call. Sense 1: To name. Sense 2: To summon or invite. Sense 3: To proclaim or address. Sense 4: To request.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
The one true God.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
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Related Concepts
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heaven and eternal life
sin and temptation
wisdom and guidance
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1THE 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¶ The foole hath sayde in his heart, There is no god; Corrupt are they, and haue done abhominable iniquitie; there is none that doth good.
2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
2God looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that did vnderstand, that did seeke God.
Selected passage3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
3Euery one of them is gone backe, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doth good, no not one.
Selected passage4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
4Haue the workers of iniquitie no knowledge? who eate vp my people, as they eate bread; they haue not called vpon God.
Selected passage5There 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†There were they in great feare, where no feare was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that incampeth against thee, thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.