God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
Parallel translations
- WEB God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.
- KJV God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
- BSB God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
- NKJV God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
- NASB God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God searches all humanity to find any who truly understand and seek him. It shows God's omniscient examination of the human heart.
Overview
Pictured as looking down from heaven, God surveys mankind for the wise who seek him. The search underscores that true seeking after God is rare and that he alone can assess the heart. It sets the stage for the verdict that all have fallen short, magnifying the grace by which God seeks and saves the lost.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 55:6Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
- 2 Chr 15:2and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
- Ps 27:8When you said, “Seek my face,” my heart said to you, “I will seek your face, Yahweh.”
- Jer 16:17For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.
- Ps 111:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Jer 23:24Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says Yahweh. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says Yahweh.
- Ps 33:13–14Yahweh looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men.
- 2 Chr 19:3Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
- Ps 102:19For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth;
- 1 Chr 28:9You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
- Ps 10:4The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.
- Ps 11:4Yahweh is in his holy temple. Yahweh is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.
- Job 28:28To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
- Deut 4:6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 53:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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