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.

13 Look! He advances like the clouds,(A)
    his chariots(B) come like a whirlwind,(C)
his horses(D) are swifter than eagles.(E)
    Woe to us! We are ruined!(F)
14 Jerusalem, wash(G) the evil from your heart and be saved.(H)
    How long(I) will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15 A voice is announcing from Dan,(J)
    proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.(K)
16 “Tell this to the nations,
    proclaim concerning Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,(L)
    raising a war cry(M) against the cities of Judah.(N)
17 They surround(O) her like men guarding a field,
    because she has rebelled(P) against me,’”
declares the Lord.
18 “Your own conduct and actions(Q)
    have brought this on you.(R)
This is your punishment.
    How bitter(S) it is!
    How it pierces to the heart!”

19 Oh, my anguish, my anguish!(T)
    I writhe in pain.(U)
Oh, the agony of my heart!
    My heart pounds(V) within me,
    I cannot keep silent.(W)
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;(X)
    I have heard the battle cry.(Y)
20 Disaster follows disaster;(Z)
    the whole land lies in ruins.(AA)
In an instant my tents(AB) are destroyed,
    my shelter in a moment.
21 How long must I see the battle standard(AC)
    and hear the sound of the trumpet?(AD)

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29 At the sound of horsemen and archers(A)
    every town takes to flight.(B)
Some go into the thickets;
    some climb up among the rocks.(C)
All the towns are deserted;(D)
    no one lives in them.

30 What are you doing,(E) you devastated one?
    Why dress yourself in scarlet
    and put on jewels(F) of gold?
Why highlight your eyes with makeup?(G)
    You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers(H) despise you;
    they want to kill you.(I)

31 I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,(J)
    a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of Daughter Zion(K) gasping for breath,(L)
    stretching out her hands(M) and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
    my life is given over to murderers.”(N)

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11 “I am(A) the good shepherd.(B) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(C) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(D) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(E) I know my sheep(F) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(G)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(H) 16 I have other sheep(I) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(J) and one shepherd.(K) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(L)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(M) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(N)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(O) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(P) and raving mad.(Q) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(R) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(S)

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