Psalms 53:1 «To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David. » 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.
Maschil, a Psalm of David] Purposely set down here the second time see Psa 6:1 to instruct what every man is by nature, and that he who is scholar to his own carnal reason is sure to have a fool to his master. The heathens are very obstinate in propugning man's nature, witness Cicero, and both the Senecas, saying, that if men would but follow the bent of their own natures they could not do amiss. And we have much ado to persuade people that their natures are so foul, their ways so wicked, &c. Twice, therefore, is this psalm recorded, that all may be convinced that there is no safety in such a condition; nothing better than to hasten out of it.
Ver. 1. The fool, &c.] See Trapp on " Psa 14:1 "