Psalms 14

Psalms 14:1-7

the Bounty of God and the Folly of Men Psalms 13:1-6; Psalms 14:1-7 The first of these psalms evidently dates from the Sauline persecutions, 1 Samuel 19:1. Four times the persecuted soul cries, How long! The psalm begins in deepest dejection, but clears as it proceeds. Prayer often proves to be the ladder from the deepest dungeon to the more radiant day. We find here depression, Psalms 13:1-2; supplication, Psalms 13:3-4; assurance, Psalms 13:5-6. Do not carry your anxieties in your heart. Remember that Christ is by your side, and leading you through all to the Kingdom. Faith begins praise for victory before the fight has reached its worst. The creed, character, and doom of the atheist are set forth in the next psalm, and the psalm is so important as to demand repetition. See Psalms 53:1-6. The root of atheism is in the heart, Romans 1:21. Its effect on character, speech, and action is disastrous, and it ends in great fear, Psalms 14:5. The best answer to atheism is the light and liberty of the children of God, Psalms 14:7; Hebrews 9:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.

The fool hath said “No God!“The creed, character and doom of the Atheist are here depicted; and the Psalm is so important as to be repeated (Psalms 53:1-6), with slight alterations, which show this rendering more suitable for public use. The Hebrew word translated fool (naval) denotes one of withered intellect.

Psalms 14:1 The root of atheism. It begins not in the head, but in the heart (Romans 1:21). Men do not like God. They try to ignore Him and end by blatantly denying Him. The surest way of dealing with such is to treat them as rebels and sinners.

Psalms 14:1-6 The effect of atheism on the character. Corruption as of a grave; abominable works; darkened understanding; filthiness of heart and life; persecution and shaming of the godly; but finally “great fear.” What a terrible catalogue of crimes! These verses are largely quoted by the Apostle (Romans 3:10-12) as true of all men; because the seeds of this awful crop are by nature latent in us all, awaiting favorable conditions of germination. God comes as a seeker (“the Father seeketh”: John 4:23), eagerly looking for those who abjure the – ways of sin and call upon Him. These are picked out by Him as his choice jewels for his own. The word because in Psalms 14:6 would be better rendered but. The enemy may come up against the camp of the righteous, but God is in the midst of them; they cannot be moved (Psalms 46:1-5). Psalms 14:7 The Best Answer to Atheism. The Church of God is too much in captivity to the world and the devil. Let us daily ask that our salvation may speedily come, the advent of which shall bring discomfiture to our foes, and long, glad rejoicings to us (Hebrews 9:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)