Psalm 53 (KJV): God looked down from heaven...there is none that doeth good

From Psalms

Psalm 53
(For the director of music. According to mahalath. A maskil of David.)

¹The fool hath said in his heart,
      There is no God.
Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity:
      there is none that doeth good.

²God looked down from heaven
      upon the children of men,
to see if there were any that did understand,
      that did seek God.
³Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy;
      there is none that doeth good,
      no, not one.

⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?
      who eat up my people as they eat bread:
      they have not called upon God.
⁵There 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.

⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
      When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,
      Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Fairly recently I have read a book called, "Love Wins."  In it Rob Bell highlights some possibilities of what hell and heaven are.  As I read the book, it seemed to come clear to me a life spent in addiction, and without God, is in fact hell.  A life, on the other hand, with God, in honesty and serving other people (as Jesus taught us to do) is heaven.

With that context let me discuss Psalm 53.  Psalm 53 is a maskil, or an instructional psalm.  This is important for this a short and not so sweet psalm because it gives a glimpse into a world without God.  No regard for human life, or other people.  Corruption, no justice to speak of.  Nothing but fear, even in places where there should be none.  Sounds like hell really.

In my addiction, I could not trust.  I lied about many things.  I lied about how I spent my time.  I lied about what I liked.  I lied about what was important.  Sometimes I lied to hide my addiction.  Sometimes I lied because that's what I thought people wanted to hear.  I cared mostly about my addiction - I didn't think about other people, and sometimes I didn't even consider my own well being.   My life in addiction reflected many of the description of psalm 53.  Again, I am sure I am not alone - I know from my 12 step meetings that many of the things I talk about here are common amongst many many addicts.

Thanks for letting me share.