This raises the question what Jehovah has to say of the people on whom His name is called. The psalm is inscribed "To the chief musician: by David." It is really a dirge.

For the substance it is the same as Ps. 53, with differences which strikingly illustrate the two books in which they respectively occur. Yet in the due place it will be shown that the apostle in Rom. 3 cites the later of the two, not the earlier before us. But they both speak of those "under the law," that is, of the Jews. The heathen were self-evidently wicked. It might have been argued that the Jews were not, as latterly they eschewed idols. But no, exclaims the apostle, What the law saith, it saith to those that are under the law, and quotes from the psalm what He says to and of His ancient people. It is thus emphatic and overwhelming. Can one doubt that prophetically it looks on to the age when Antichrist and his followers are in question? But the truth is that the first coming of Christ brought out morally what will be manifest at His second. This is man at his best estate without Christ and denying God; and the Judge on earth pronounced on him. He is lost; not merely man carried away after every vain folly, but Jew under priesthood, law, sacrifice, temple, and every other religious privilege conceivable. Remnant there is; but those of it renounce man and rest on Christ from God, as all saints since man fell. It is salvation out of Zion they look for, and this to gladden Israel: not the indiscriminate mercy of God (His righteousness withal in the gospel) to any poor sinner, as we know now.