The Meaning of Psalms 53:5 Explained

Psalms 53:5

KJV: 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.

YLT: There they feared a fear -- there was no fear, For God hath scattered the bones of him Who is encamping against thee, Thou hast put to shame, For God hath despised them.

Darby: There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God scattereth the bones of him that encampeth against thee. Thou hast put them to shame, for God hath despised them.

ASV: 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 of God hath rejected them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 53:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 53:1-6 - Sinners All-God Alone Can Help
That Psalms 53:1-6 should be a repetition of Psalms 14:1-7, with very few variations, suggests, as does the "verily, verily" of Christ, that the truths contained in these words are worthy of special attention. They supply the Apostle, in Romans 3:1-31, with his phraseology for describing the state of the ungodly before the searching eye of Omniscience.
We have here a photograph of the human heart. Jew and Gentile are alike in their innermost texture. There is nothing to choose between the Pharisee and the publican, except when either turns the balance by humble confession, as in Luke 18:9, etc.
Psalms 54:1-7 is probably founded on 1 Samuel 23:19. It is short, as if compressed by the urgency of David's need. Evidently he was in sore straits, though conscious of the rectitude of his cause. Notice how he makes his transition from prayer to praise, Psalms 54:4. He affirms, in spite of everything, that God is still his helper. He hears the approaching footsteps of those who are pledged to uphold Him, and God is with them. As he speaks thus in the confidence of faith, the storm clears away. He is delivered; his eye has seen the defeat of his foes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 53

1  David describes the corruption of the natural man
4  He convinces the wicked by the light of their own conscience
6  He glories in the salvation of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 53:5 mean?

There fear they are in [great] fear no [Where] was fear for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you You have [them] put to shame because God has despised them
שָׁ֤ם ׀ פָּֽחֲדוּ־ פַחַד֮ לֹא־ הָ֪יָה֫ פָ֥חַד כִּֽי־ אֱלֹהִ֗ים פִּ֭זַּר עַצְמ֣וֹת חֹנָ֑ךְ הֱ֝בִשֹׁ֗תָה כִּֽי־ אֱלֹהִ֥ים מְאָסָֽם

פָּֽחֲדוּ־  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּחַד  
Sense: to fear, tremble, revere, dread, be in awe or dread.
פַחַד֮  they  are  in  [great]  fear 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַד  
Sense: terror, dread.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָ֪יָה֫  [Where]  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
פָ֥חַד  fear 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַד  
Sense: terror, dread.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
פִּ֭זַּר  has  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּזַר  
Sense: to scatter, disperse.
עַצְמ֣וֹת  the  bones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
חֹנָ֑ךְ  of  him  who  encamps  against  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חָנָה  
Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
הֱ֝בִשֹׁ֗תָה  You  have  [them]  put  to  shame 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מְאָסָֽם  has  despised  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.