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The Unbelieving Fool

For the director of music. Of David.

14 Fools say ·to themselves [L in their hearts],
    “There is no God [C Psalm 53 largely parallels this psalm].”
·Fools are evil [L They are corrupt] and do ·terrible [detestable] things [Deut. 32:5];
    there is no one who does anything good.

The Lord looked down from heaven on all people
    to see if anyone ·understood [L was wise/insightful],
    if anyone was ·looking to God for help [seeking God].
But all have ·turned [wandered] away.
    Together, everyone has become ·evil [perverse].
There is no one who does anything good,
    not even one [Rom. 3:10–12].

Don’t ·the wicked [L those who do evil] ·understand [know]?

They ·destroy [consume; L eat] my people as if they were ·eating [consuming] bread.
    They do not ·ask the Lord for help [call on the Lord].
But the wicked are ·filled [terrified] with terror,
    because God is with ·those who do what is right [the company of the righteous].
The wicked ·upset [confuse; frustrate] the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord ·will protect them [is their refuge].

I pray that ·victory [salvation] will come to Israel from Mount Zion [C the location of the Temple]!
    May the Lord ·bring them back [restore the fortunes of his people; C perhaps at the end of the exile].
Then the people of Jacob will rejoice,
    and the people of Israel will be glad.

Psalm 14(A)

For the director of music. Of David.

The fool[a] says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(B)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven(C)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(D)
    any who seek God.(E)
All have turned away,(F) all have become corrupt;(G)
    there is no one who does good,(H)
    not even one.(I)

Do all these evildoers know nothing?(J)

They devour my people(K) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.(L)
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.(M)

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!(N)
    When the Lord restores(O) his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.