Psalms Chapter 14 For the Chief Musician. By David.
1 The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.
3 They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don't call on the LORD?
5 There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.
6 You frustrate the plan of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
7 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
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Psalms Chapter 14 For the Chief Musician. By David. Guide
Here the psalmist utters his own consciousness of the meaning of godlessness. In its essence it is folly. The word "fool" here stands for moral perversity rather than intellectual blindness. This is repeated in the declaration, "They are corrupt," and in the statement that their works are abominable. To his own testimony the psalmist adds the statement of the divine outlook on humanity. It is the same. Men do not recognize God and their doings are therefore evil.
The psalmist then looks at certain occasions without naming them. "There" refers to some occasion of God's deliverance of His people. The thought is that when God was recognized by His people their enemies were filled with fear. Then there is a contrasting picture of the oppressed people of God put to shame, "because Jehovah is his refuge"; the thought being that the refuge was neglected and the chosen therefore rejected (see Psalms 53:5). The thought of the whole psalm is of the safety of godliness and the peril of ungodliness. Jehovah cannot be deceived. He knows and this events always prove. The psalm ends with a sigh for the coming of the day of deliverance.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Psalms Chapter 14 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- A description of the depravity of human nature, and the deplorable corruption of a great part of mankind.
Verses 1-7
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. The sinner here described is an atheist, one that saith there is no Judge or Governor of the world, no Providence ruling over the affairs of men. He says this in his heart. He cannot satisfy himself that there is none, but wishes there were none, and pleases himself that it is possible there may be none; he is willing to think there is none. This sinner is a fool; he is simple and unwise, and this is evidence of it: he is wicked and profane, and this is the cause. The word of God is a discerner of these thoughts. No man will say, There is no God, till he is so hardened in sin, that it is become his interest that there should be none to call him to an account. The disease of sin has infected the whole race of mankind. They are all gone aside, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Whatever good is in any of the children of men, or is done by them, it is not of themselves, it is God's work in them. They are gone aside from the right way of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and are turned into the paths of the destroyer. Let us lament the corruption of our nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God: let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again. And we must not rest in any thing short of union with Christ, and a new creation to holiness by his Spirit. The psalmist endeavours to convince sinners of the evil and danger of their way, while they think themselves very wise, and good, and safe. Their wickedness is described. Those that care not for God's people, for God's poor, care not for God himself. People run into all manner of wickedness, because they do not call upon God for his grace. What good can be expected from those that live without prayer? But those that will not fear God, may be made to fear at the shaking of a leaf. All our knowledge of the depravity of human nature should endear to us salvation out of Zion. But in heaven alone shall the whole company of the redeemed rejoice fully, and for evermore. The world is bad; oh that the Messiah would come and change its character! There is universal corruption; oh for the times of reformation! The triumphs of Zion's King will be the joys of Zion's children. The second coming of Christ, finally to do away the dominion of sin and Satan, will be the completing of this salvation, which is the hope, and will be the joy of every Israelite indeed. With this assurance we should comfort ourselves and one another, under the sins of sinners and sufferings of saints.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.