Logos Bible Study

Psalm 14:title–7

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For the music director; by David.

14:1Fools say to themselves,1 “There is no God.”2

They sin and commit evil deeds;3

none of them does what is right.4

14:2The Lord looks down from heaven5 at the human race,6

to see if there is anyone who is wise7 and seeks God.8

14:3Everyone rejects God;9

they are all morally corrupt.10

None of them does what is right,11

not even one!

14:4All those who behave wickedly12 do not understand—13

those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,

and do not call out to the Lord.

14:5They are absolutely terrified,14

for God defends the godly.15

14:6You want to humiliate the oppressed,16

even though17 the Lord is their18 shelter.

14:7I wish the deliverance19 of Israel would come from Zion!

When the Lord restores the well-being of his people,20

may Jacob rejoice,21

may Israel be happy!22

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.
  2. 2 “There is no God.” The statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that God is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).
  3. 3 Heb “they act corruptly, they make a deed evil.” The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism—living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions—makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.
  4. 4 Heb “there is none that does good.”
  5. 5 The picture of the Lord looking down from heaven draws attention to his sovereignty over the world.
  6. 6 Heb “upon the sons of man.”
  7. 7 Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.
  8. 8 Anyone who is wise and seeks God refers to the person who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.
  9. 9 Heb “everyone turns aside.”
  10. 10 Heb “together they are corrupt.”
  11. 11 Heb “there is none that does good.”
  12. 12 Heb “all the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8.
  13. 13 Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question (rendered in the translation as a positive affirmation) expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5–7).
  14. 14 Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination ( 1027 ). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror.
  15. 15 Heb “for God is with a godly generation.” The Hebrew noun דּוֹר (dor, “generation”) refers here to the general class of people who are characterized by godliness. See 190 for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.
  16. 16 Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. , ) rather than an indicative manner (cf. ). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).
  17. 17 It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).
  18. 18 Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).
  19. 19 The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
  20. 20 Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shévut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
  21. 21 The verb form is jussive.
  22. 22 Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

To the choirmaster. Of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;

there is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,

to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after God.

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;

there is none who does good,

not even one.

Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers

who eat up my people as they eat bread

and do not call upon the Lord?

There they are in great terror,

for God is with the generation of the righteous.

You would shame the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is his refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For the director of music. Of David.

The fool says in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;

there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven

on all mankind

to see if there are any who understand,

any who seek God.

All have turned away, all have become corrupt;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.

Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;

they never call on the Lord.

But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,

for God is present in the company of the righteous.

You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is their refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For the choir director. Of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”

They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.

There is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race

to see if there is one who is wise,

one who seeks God.

All have turned away;

all alike have become corrupt.

There is no one who does good,

not even one.

Will evildoers never understand?

They consume my people as they consume bread;

they do not call on the Lord.

Then they will be filled with dread,

for God is with those who are righteous.

You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed,

but the Lord is his refuge.

Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

Only fools say in their hearts,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;

not one of them does good!

The Lord looks down from heaven

on the entire human race;

he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,

if anyone seeks God.

But no, all have turned away;

all have become corrupt.

No one does good,

not a single one!

Will those who do evil never learn?

They eat up my people like bread

and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.

Terror will grip them,

for God is with those who obey him.

The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,

but the Lord will protect his people.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?

When the Lord restores his people,

Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For the music director. Of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt.

They do abominable deeds.

There is none who does good.

Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind

to see whether there is one who has insight,

one who cares about God.

All have gone astray;

they are altogether corrupt.

There is not one who does good;

there is not even one.

All who do evil—do they not know,

they who eat my people as though they were eating bread?

They do not call on Yahweh.

There they are very fearful

because God is with the generation of the righteous.

You would put to shame the plan of the poor,

because Yahweh is his refuge.

Oh that from Zion would come salvation for Israel!

When Yahweh returns the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be happy.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

They are corrupt, they have done abominable works,

There is none that doeth good.

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:

There is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And call not upon the Lord.

There were they in great fear:

For God is in the generation of the righteous.

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor,

Because the Lord is his refuge.

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!

When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people,

Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

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