The Relationship Between Psalms 14 and 53

Introduction

Within the Psalter only two psalms — 14 and 53 — exhibit such similarity, being (nearly) identical. Although the text of both is largely the same, there are some differences. The table below illustrates the points of similarity and difference.

Caption text

Verse	Psalm 14	Psalm 53	Verse
1a	לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד	לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־מָחֲלַת מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד	1
1b	אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים הִשְׁחִיתוּ הִתְעִיבוּ עֲלִילָה אֵין עֹשֵׂה־טוֹב	אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים הִשְׁחִיתוּ וְהִתְעִיבוּ עָוֶל אֵין עֹשֵׂה־טוֹב	2
2	יְהוָה מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁקִיף עַל־בְּנֵי־אָדָם לִרְאוֹת הֲיֵשׁ מַשְׂכִּיל דֹּרֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים	אֱלֹהִים מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁקִיף עַל־בְּנֵי אָדָם לִרְאוֹת הֲיֵשׁ מַשְׂכִּיל דֹּרֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים	3
3	הַכֹּל סָר יַחְדָּו נֶאֱלָחוּ אֵין עֹשֵׂה־טוֹב אֵין גַּם־אֶחָד	כֻּלּוֹ סָג יַחְדָּו נֶאֱלָחוּ אֵין עֹשֵׂה־טוֹב אֵין גַּם־אֶחָד	4
4	הֲלֹא יָדְעוּ כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן אֹכְלֵי עַמִּי אָכְלוּ לֶחֶם יְהוָה לֹא קָרָאוּ	הֲלֹא יָדְעוּ פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן אֹכְלֵי עַמִּי אָכְלוּ לֶחֶם אֱלֹהִים לֹא קָרָאוּ	5
5	שָׁם פָּחֲדוּ פָחַד כִּי־אֱלֹהִים בְּדוֹר צַדִּיק	שָׁם פָּחֲדוּ־פַחַד לֹא־הָיָה פָחַד כִּי־אֱלֹהִים פִּזַּר עַצְמוֹת חֹנָךְ	6a
6	עֲצַת־עָנִי תָבִישׁוּ כִּי יְהוָה מַחְסֵהוּ	הֱבִשֹׁתָה כִּי־אֱלֹהִים מְאָסָם	6b
7	מִי יִתֵּן מִצִּיּוֹן יְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב יְהוָה שְׁבוּת עַמּוֹ יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל	מִי יִתֵּן מִצִּיּוֹן יְשֻׁעוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב אֱלֹהִים שְׁבוּת עַמּוֹ יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל	7

It is typically held that Ps 53 is dependent on, and therefore chronologically later than, Ps 14. How then can the differences between the copied text (Ps 53) and the source text (Ps 14) be explained? The differences have been explained in two ways; they are either the result of (1) textual corruption, by which the scribe of Ps 53 accidentally misread/miscopied Ps 14, or (2) scribal composition, by which the scribe of Ps 53 intentionally altered the text of Ps 14 for literary and/or theological purposes.

Argument Maps

Textual Corruption

The differences between Psalms 14 and 53 are the result of accidental textual corruption.

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[Textual Corruption]: The differences between Psalms 14 and 53 are the result of accidental textual corruption.
 + <Cursory Reading>: The scribe of Ps 53 carelessly copied עָוֶל "iniquity" in place of עֲלִילָה "deed, action." (Weiser 1880, 145 :C:).
 + <Different Arrangement>: The scribe of Ps 53 copied from a text in which the order of words was different than that in Ps 14: פזר עַצְמוֹתָם עצת עני תב (Weiser 1880, 146 :C:).
   + [Omission of עצת]: Upon copying עַצְמוֹתָם, the scribe of Ps 53 omitted the following word, עצת, as the first two letters of each (ayin and tsade) are the same (Weiser 1880, 146 :C:).
   + [Similar Letters]: The scribe of Ps 53 misread עני (ayin-nun-yod) for the graphically similar חנך (khet-nun-kaph) (Weiser 1880, 146 :C:).
  <_ <Undercutting statement title>:Type undercutting statement here (Author Date, Page :C:).#dispreferred
  - <Refuting statement title>:Type refuting statement here (Author Date, Page :C:; Author Date, Page :A:).#dispreferred

Scribal Composition

The differences between Psalms 14 and 53 are the result of intentional scribal composition.

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[Scribal Composition]: The differences between Psalms 14 and 53 are the result of intentional scribal composition.
 + <Supporting argument title>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date, Page :C:).
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   + [Supporting evidence title]: List supporting evidence here.
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References

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