John Trapp on Psalms 53:5

Verſ. 5. There were they in great fear] Heb. They feared a fear. God they feared not, of men they were greatly feared, and yet here they feared a fear where no fear was, viz. without themſelves; only facti ſunt à corde ſuo fugitivi, they feared and fled before their own conſciences, their own trembling heart, Deut. 28.65. the ſound of fear that is in their ears, Job 15.21. the ſound of a leaf chaſeth them, Levit. 26.36. they flee when none purſueth, Prov. 28.1. Naturaliſts tell us of a certain little bird, quae fertur metu ne in ipſam coelum ruat, imponere ſibi ſemper dormienti alterum pedem, which for fear leſt the Skie ſhould fall on her head, ſleepeth ſtill with one foot laid upon her head. The Gaules that dwelt neer the Adriatick Sea, being asked by Alexander the Great, what they moſt feared? anſwered, ne ſupra ſe coelum corruat, leſt the Skie ſhould fall upon them. Galen writeth of a certain Melancholick fellow, who hearing that Atlas ſupported Heaven with his ſhoulders, was therefore ſore afraid leſt he ſhould faint under the burthen; and therefore carried his arm before him to ſave his head. Heraclides out of Anacreon telleth of one Artemon a timorous man, who kept home as much as might be, having ever a couple of ſervants to hold a brazen buckler over his head, leſt any thing ſhould fall upon him from above. And if he were at any time neceſſitated to go abroad, he was carried in a horſe-litter that touched the ground almoſt;Piut. in Pericl[illegible: 1 letter] and was thereupon called Periphoretus.

For thou haſt ſcattered the bones] i. e. The ſtrength, the ſtrong troops ſaith the Chaldee; they want decent burial, as Jer. 22. ſaith the Syriack.

Thou haſt put them to ſhame] viz. The poor afflicted, Pſal. 14.5. becauſe

God hath deſpiſed them] i. e. Subjected them to the contempt of the wicked.