To the chief musician, for use in the liturgical part of public worship, upon Mahalath, in a sorrowful manner, agreeing with the general tone of the hymn, Maschil, a didactic poem, a psalm of David. This psalm, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, was evidently recast from Ps. 14, probably for a special occasion, and was for that reason included in the Psalter for the second time. Cp. Ps. 14 for the general explanation. V. 1. 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. V. 2. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. V. 3. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. V. 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up My people as they eat bread? They have not called upon God. V. 5. There were they in great fear, filled with the terror of the Lord's judgment, where no fear was, when they had seen no reason to be terrified. The enemies had considered themselves secure, they were without fear or care, when the judgment of God suddenly broke upon them. For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, in a complete overthrow and ruin; thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them, this, by God's promise, being the glorious security of the children of Israel, of the congregation of believers, of all times: Because God is on their side, all enemies are confounded and disgraced; that is their eventual fate. V. 6. 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 longing for deliverance by the hand of Messiah is found throughout the Old Testament, just as a similar longing for the final revelation of the last Great Day of the Lord characterizes the New Testament, 1 Cor. 16. 22; Rev. 22. 20.