The Bible Says
Psalm 53:4-6 Meaning

Psalm 53:4-6 laments the ignorance of those who commit evil when he declares Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge, who eat up My people as though they ate bread and have not called upon God? (v. 4). In this verse, these so-called workers of wickedness are depicted as careless and unthinking, consuming others without concern, just as someone quickly and casually eats their daily bread. Their disregard for God points to a prideful spirit, one that fails to recognize the Lord as the source of both wisdom and righteousness. The writer, traditionally identified as David (who ruled as the second king of Israel from 1010 to 970 BC), underscores how quickly wickedness can blind a person’s heart and mind to the reality of a just and ever-present God.

The psalmist then exposes the fearful disposition of the evildoers, illustrating their collapse by saying There they were in great fear where no fear had been; for God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you; You put them to shame, because God had rejected them (v. 5). Their fear arises not merely from human retaliation but from the realization that God stands against them. David’s words convey a vivid image of total defeat, with bones scattered as a sign of humiliation and rejection. Despite their initial smug security, the tide turns abruptly when the Lord, who is the ultimate judge and defender of His people, unleashes justice.

Hope emerges as the psalm ends with Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad (v. 6). Zion, historically recognized as a fortified hill in ancient Jerusalem - central to David’s monarchy and the nation’s worship-serves as a symbol of God’s dwelling and His covenant faithfulness. By invoking both Jacob and Israel (the patriarch Jacob lived around 2000 BC and was renamed Israel, fathering the twelve tribes), David calls the entire nation to place their confidence in the Lord, anticipating a day when any captivity or suffering will be reversed. This prophecy looks ahead to the ultimate deliverance of God’s people and echoes the Bible’s consistent promise of salvation, which finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Romans 11).