(53:2) אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבֹּו אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽ֝שְׁחִ֗יתוּ וְהִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עָ֝֗וֶל אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֹֽוב׃
Amar naval belibo ein Elohim hishkhitu vehitivu avel ein oseh-tov:
The fool has said in his heart,"There is no Elohim."
They are corrupt, and have done abominable
iniquity;
There is none who does good.
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Alluding prophetically to the destruction of the Land and the Temple this psalm also assures Yisrael’s eventual restoration.
In both recensions of the Tehillim the name of Elohim occurs seven times. In Tehillim 14:1-7 it reads three times Elohim and four times Yahve; in the Tehillim before us it is all seven times Elohim, which in this instance is a proper name of equal dignity with the name Yahve.
