This is a severe indictment by God of the human condition. And yet we still have many people today who feel mankind is basically good. Nothing could be further from the truth. God says nobody is righteous, not even one soul. None of us seek God; He must seek and woo us to Himself, for if He did not choose some, then no one would be saved. God says nobody is good, not even one. He goes on to describe the human condition: throat like an open tomb wafting out foul scent; deceitful tongues, vicious and profane speech; a wild desire to shed blood, anyone’s blood; a compulsion to wreak destruction and misery. They know no peace, nor can they share peace. They don’t fear God; they scorn and mock Him and many claim He doesn’t even exist. God concludes by saying we ALL have sinned and don’t even remotely measure up to God’s glory. But we can be saved from our worthless nature. All we must do is acknowledge we are miserable, foul sinners in need of a savior, and the love of God will do the rest through the shed blood of Christ and the indwelling of His Spirit.

“As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes….’ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….”