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Commentary on Psalms 14 verses 1–3
If we apply our hearts as Solomon did (Ecc 7:25) to search out the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness, these verses will assist us in the search and will show us that sin is exceedingly sinful. Sin is the disease of mankind, and it appears here to be malignant and epidemic.
1.See how malignant it is (Psa 14:1) in two things: -
(1.)The contempt it puts upon the honour of God: for there is something of practical atheism at the bottom of all sin. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. We are sometimes tempted to think, "Surely there never was so much atheism and profaneness as there is in our days;" but we see the former days were no better; even in David's time there were those who had arrived at such a height of impiety as to deny the very being of a God and the first and self-evident principles of religion. Observe, [1.] The sinner here described. He is one that saith in his heart, There is no God; he is an atheist. "There is no Elohim, no Judge or governor of the world, no providence presiding over the affairs of men." They cannot doubt of the being of God, but will question his dominion. He says this in his heart; it is not his judgment, but his imagination. He cannot satisfy himself that there is none, but he wishes there were none, and pleases himself with the fancy that it is possible there may be none. He cannot be sure there is one, and therefore he is willing to think there is none. He dares not speak it out, lest he be confuted, and so undeceived, but he whispers it secretly in his heart, for the silencing of the clamours of his conscience and the emboldening of himself in his evil ways. [2.] The character of this sinner. He is a fool; he is simple and unwise, and this is an evidence of it; he is wicked and profane, and this is the cause of it. Note, Atheistical thoughts are very foolish wicked thoughts, and they are at the bottom of a great deal of the wickedness that is in this world. The word of God is a discerner of these thoughts, and puts a just brand on him that harbours them. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; for he thinks against the clearest light, against his own knowledge and convictions, and the common sentiments of all the wise and sober part of mankind. No man will say, There is no God till he is so hardened in sin that it has become his interest that there should be none to call him to an account.
(2.)The disgrace and debasement it puts upon the nature of man. Sinners are corrupt, quite degenerated from what man was in his innocent estate: They have become filthy (Psa 14:3), putrid. All their faculties are so disordered that they have become odious to their Maker and utterly incapable of answering the ends of their creation. They are corrupt indeed; for, [1.] They do no good, but are the unprofitable burdens of the earth; they do God no service, bring him no honour, nor do themselves any real kindness. [2.] They do a great deal of hurt. They have done abominable works, for such all sinful works are. Sin is an abomination to God; it is that abominable thing which he hates (Jer 44:4), and, sooner or later, it will be so to the sinner; it will be found to be hateful (Psa 36:2), an abomination of desolation, that is, making desolate, Mat 24:15. This follows upon their saying, There is no God; for those that profess they know God, but in works deny him, are abominable, and to every good work reprobate, Tit 1:16.
2.See how epidemic this disease is; it has infected the whole race of mankind. To prove this, God himself is here brought in for a witness, and he is an eye-witness, Psa 14:2, Psa 14:3. Observe, (1.) His enquiry: The Lord looked down from heaven, a place of prospect, which commands this lower world; thence, with an all-seeing eye, he took a view of all the children of men, and the question was, Whether there were any among them that did understand themselves aright, their duty and interests, and did seek God and set him before them. He that made this search was not only one that could find out a good man if he was to be found, though ever so obscure, but one that would be glad to find out one, and would be sure to take notice of him, as of Noah in the old world. (2.) The result of this enquiry, Psa 14:3. Upon search, upon his search, it appeared, They have all gone aside, the apostasy is universal, there is none that doeth good, no, not one, till the free and mighty grace of God has wrought a change. 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. When God had made the world he looked upon his own work, and all was very good (Gen 1:31); but, some time after, he looked upon man's work, and, behold, all was very bad (Gen 6:5), every operation of the thought of man's heart was evil, only evil, and that continually. They have gone aside from the right of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and have turned into the paths of the destroyer.
In singing this let us lament the corruption of our own nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God; and, since that which is born of the flesh is flesh, let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again.
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. [Psalms 14:1-3] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Some have denied that there is a divine spirit altogether. They have openly professed that God is not the ruler of everything, that his name is nothing but empty and that he is of no substance. Others worship gods who do not exist, denying him who is God alone. Some suggest that indeed there is a God in name, but they contend that he does not oversee earthly matters or look on human affairs. In summary, therefore, all these people have come together into the single position of atheism (godlessness), believing that there is no God. Since they are not bold enough to announce this openly, they persuade themselves in their hearts, being foolish and senseless in the matter of truth, that God does not exist. (A natural understanding about God and the innate seeds of the instinct drive all of them to confess a recognition of God; they are not so bold to deny this fact with their lips, so they pretend to recognize him not as the only God but as an innumerable plurality.) … Their godless position is brought to light from their works (as indeed a tree is judged by its fruit), with their villainy and a way of living like it. They have poisoned their own spirit, betraying it to their bodies with whatever corruption, and as men act in madness with men and through whatever other monstrous and abominable acts, they defile their own selves. In this way it was shown that even if they mustered ten thousand gods, even if they blared out with their lips and confessed God governs all things, in their hearts, and really in their minds, there is not the least recognition of God. Such, therefore, was the life of these people before the advent of our Savior.
“There is no God.” There is no foundation, then how does the building stand? There is no keel, then how does the ship stabilize? There is no captain, then how is the ship readied? There is no builder, then how is the house built? There is no architect, then who founded the city? There is no farmer, then how do the fields bear their bundles? There is no music, then how can there be the harmony on the lyre of the world? There is no one to foresee, then how does foreknowledge permeate everything? There is no charioteer, then how is the chariot of the four elements driven? There is no sculptor, then how are statues of people in the world crafted? There are no builders of arches, then who has built the arch of heaven for you? There is no gold worker, then who has placed the golden disc sun in heaven as on a table? There is none who brings a torch, then who gave the moon of the night to you as a silver torch? There is none who brings light, and who has given to you a light with clear splendor? There is none who alone makes great lights, then who has put the ascending lamps of the stars in the sky for you?… Is there no Creator about whom the creature testifies?
It was the fool who said through Pharoah, “I have not known this God”; and the depth of the sea became a tomb for him. The fool said through Sennecharib, “God is not able to snatch Hezekiah from my hands,” and he was killed by his sons. The fool said through Nebuchadnezzar, “Who is this God who can snatch you from my hand? Who is the most powerful of men?” … Judas the denier of God was destroyed by a noose because he had deemed God as a man to be betrayed.
They are corrupt—wounded and rotten, smelling rank, seeping foulness and poison, not seeking medicine. They become abominable like pigs rolling in the mud of sin; like dogs returning to vomit, they run with rage.… Because they have despised the thinking of God, pious people despise them. They are corrupt like worm-infested garments, as rusted iron, as those who have touched death and the ashes of dead bones.… “There is no one who does good, not one.” Not Herod killing innocent babies, not the Jew who called Jesus Beelzebub when he cast out demons, not the one endeavoring to keep the law perfectly, not priests acting dishonorably, not scribes writing for naught, not Pharisees pressing and pushing rules, not Sadducees debating, not Judas selling him, not the master boxing the slave’s ear, not Pilate condemning him, not the people shouting.… “There is no one who speaks good,” when all the disciples fled as they abandoned him. John ran off naked. Peter denied him, the disciples fled, the spear of doubt pierced the soul of Mary. There was no one who showed the fruit of love in his suffering.… Even after his death, the soldier pierced his side.… Surely he has visited us and wants to save, but none desires to be shown the medicine.
This statement [about fools] is directly followed by one pointing out that their actions correspond with their thoughts: “They are corrupt, and their behavior is evil.” The unrighteous person corrupts his body in every possible way: stealing, committing adultery, cursing, getting drunk, and doing similar things.… Count on it: those who are fools in their thoughts will do wicked deeds. As the Lord said [to the Pharisees], “How can you speak good things when you are evil?” And they truly were evil, because their thoughts were wicked.
"The fool has said in his heart, There is no God" [Psalm 14:1]. For not even have certain sacrilegious and abominable philosophers, who entertain perverse and false notions of God, dared to say, "There is no God." Therefore it is, has said "in his heart;" for that no one dares to say it, even if he has dared to think it. "They are corrupt, and become abominable in their affections:" that is, while they love this world and love not God; these are the affections which corrupt the soul, and so blind it, that the fool can even say, "in his heart, There is no God. For as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind." [Romans 1:28] "There is none that does goodness, no not up to one." "Up to one," can be understood either with that one, so that no man be understood: or besides one, that the Lord Christ may be excepted. As we say, This field is up to the sea; we do not of course reckon the sea together with the field. And this is the better interpretation, so that none be understood to have done goodness up to Christ; for that no man can do goodness, except He shall have shown it. And that is true; for until a man know the one God, he cannot do goodness.
[Like the Assyrian army in the days of Hezekiah], all will come to know through experience the one fighting against them; fear will strike them from a source they did not expect. I mean, who would have thought they would be destroyed by an angel? That God cares for the Jews? Those who mocked the counsel of poor and lowly Hezekiah for trusting in God rather than arms will realize that the one who made himself dependent on God enjoyed a hope that was not disappointed.
“They are corrupt.” By turning away from the sound thinking found in the Scriptures, they show that they have fallen into corrupt patterns of thought. The punishment for sin comes next. Defiled by their despicable unbelief, they become abominable to the Lord by their errors.
We cannot do good unless we have come to Christ through God’s mercy. For when we approach him and do not turn away from him, without a doubt every good is performed. This is the end that was promised in the heading of the psalm.
The fact that God exists is not doubted by those who accept the sacred Scriptures—both the Old and New Testaments, I mean—or by the majority of the Greeks, for, as we have said, the knowledge of God’s existence has been revealed to us through nature. However, since the wickedness of the evil one has so prevailed over people’s nature as even to drag some of them down to the most unspeakable and extremely wicked abyss of perdition and to make them say that there is no God, … then the Lord’s disciples and apostles, made wise by the all-Holy Spirit, did by his power and grace show signs from God and draw up those people alive in the net of their miracles from the depths of the ignorance of God to the light of his knowledge.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 14:1 delivers a profound and sobering indictment, revealing that the root of all human depravity stems from a practical or intellectual denial of God. It unveils the "fool" not as one lacking intelligence, but as morally and spiritually bankrupt, whose internal rejection of divine authority inevitably precipitates corrupt actions, abominable works, and a pervasive inability to do genuine good, thereby underscoring humanity's fallen and desperate condition.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 14:1 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. Irony is strikingly present in the designation of "fool," as those who deny God often consider themselves enlightened or wise, yet the psalm declares them utterly senseless and morally bankrupt. Contrast is foundational to the verse, implicitly setting the "fool" and their corrupt ways against the righteous and the unyielding standard of God's holiness. The phrase "said in his heart" is a potent form of metonymy, where the "heart" represents the entire inner being—encompassing intellect, will, emotion, and moral disposition—signifying a deeply ingrained conviction and fundamental orientation rather than a mere verbal utterance. The declaration "there is none that doeth good" is a powerful use of hyperbole or generalization, emphasizing the pervasive and universal nature of human sinfulness and depravity, a theological truth that is amplified and affirmed elsewhere in Scripture. This sweeping statement serves to underscore the dire spiritual condition of humanity apart from God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 14:1 serves as a foundational text for understanding the biblical doctrine of human sinfulness and pervasive depravity. It asserts that the ultimate root of all moral corruption and societal decay lies in a practical or intellectual rejection of God's existence, authority, or relevance. This denial, originating deeply within the "heart," inevitably leads to actions that are "corrupt" and "abominable," demonstrating humanity's inherent inability to do genuine good apart from divine grace. This profound theological truth is not confined to the Old Testament but is powerfully echoed and expanded upon in the New Testament, forming the essential backdrop against which God's glorious redemptive plan in Jesus Christ is revealed. The psalm's universal indictment prepares the reader for the absolute necessity of a divine solution to humanity's pervasive and intractable sin problem.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 14:1 compels us to engage in a profound and honest examination of the posture of our own hearts towards God. It challenges the superficiality of merely intellectual assent to God's existence, probing whether our daily lives, choices, and priorities truly reflect His sovereignty, authority, and moral commands. A "fool" in this biblical sense is not necessarily an outspoken atheist, but anyone whose daily choices, priorities, and moral compass are not genuinely guided by the reality of God's active presence and His revealed will. When we live as if God does not matter, or as if His perfect standards are irrelevant to our conduct, we inevitably fall into corruption and self-serving behaviors, demonstrating the very depravity this verse so starkly describes. This psalm is a timeless and urgent warning that true flourishing, both individually and communally, is inextricably linked to acknowledging, revering, and submitting to God's righteous reign. It underscores our desperate and ongoing need for divine intervention and transformative grace, reminding us that genuine goodness and righteousness flow not from human effort or inherent virtue alone, but from a heart renewed, empowered, and guided by God's Spirit and His eternal truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this verse primarily about intellectual atheism, or something else?
Answer: While the verse can certainly encompass intellectual atheism, its primary and more profound focus is on a practical, moral, or functional atheism. The "fool" (Hebrew: nâbâl') is not necessarily someone who has intellectually concluded that God does not exist, but rather someone who lives as if God does not exist or does not matter in their daily life. It's a fundamental rejection of God's authority and moral claim on their life, leading to a profound disregard for His commands and a self-serving pursuit of their own desires. This practical denial of God's relevance in one's daily life is what the psalm identifies as the deep root of corruption and "abominable works." The crucial phrase "said in his heart" points to a deep-seated conviction or fundamental orientation of one's entire being, not just a fleeting thought or a philosophical position.
What is the significance of the phrase "said in his heart"?
Answer: The phrase "said in his heart" is profoundly significant because it indicates that the denial of God is not merely an outward verbal declaration or a superficial intellectual exercise, but a deeply internalized conviction that shapes one's entire being and behavior. In ancient Hebrew thought, the "heart" (H3820, lêb') is understood as the very core of a person—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral decision-making. Therefore, when the fool says "there is no God" in his heart, it means this belief (or lack thereof) has become the fundamental, guiding principle of their thoughts, motivations, and actions. It's a practical, lived atheism that dictates their moral compass, their priorities, and ultimately leads directly to the "corrupt" and "abominable works" described in the rest of the verse. This internal, pervasive disposition is far more dangerous and determinative than a simple intellectual disagreement, as it dictates the entire trajectory of one's life.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 14:1, with its stark and universal declaration of human depravity and the pervasive inability to do genuine good, sets the indispensable stage for the absolute necessity of a Savior. The "fool" who denies God in his heart and lives a life of corruption represents fallen humanity in its entirety, whose sin is not merely a collection of wrong actions but a deep-seated, systemic rebellion against the Creator. This psalm's chilling indictment, particularly the sobering conclusion "there is none that doeth good," finds its ultimate theological echo in the Apostle Paul's comprehensive exposition of universal sinfulness in Romans 3:10-12, where he directly quotes this very passage to powerfully demonstrate that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The divine solution to this pervasive corruption and inherent inability is not found in human effort, self-improvement, or moral striving, but solely in the divine intervention of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who truly "does good," having lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life in complete obedience to God (Hebrews 4:15). Furthermore, Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross directly addresses the "abominable works" and the "corrupt" heart of humanity, offering complete forgiveness and a new heart to all who believe (Ezekiel 36:26). Through His triumphant death and glorious resurrection, Jesus provides the only way for humanity, once declared as having "none that doeth good," to be reconciled to a holy God and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to live a life of genuine goodness, reflecting the very righteousness of God Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, Psalms 14:1 powerfully underscores the profound human predicament that only Christ can definitively resolve.