PSALMS 14

READING CYCLE THREE(see “Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT
PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means
that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of
us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are
priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3).
Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above.
Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original
author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has
one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 14:1-3
 ¹The
fool has said in his heart,  “There
is no God.”
 They are
corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
 There is no one who does good.
 ²The Lord
has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
 To see if there are any who
understand,
 Who seek after
God.
 ³They have
all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
 There is no one who does good, not
even one.

14:1 “fool” This psalm is almost
exactly like Psalm 53. This word (BDB 614 I) refers to people who should
know YHWH but choose to live as if He does not affect their lives. There
were no atheists in the philosophical sense in the ANE, but many of the
covenant people were practical atheists (cf. Deut. 32:6,21; 2 Sam. 13:13;
Ps. 10:4,11,13; 53:1; 74:22; Ezek. 13:3). The proverb of Luke 12:48 surely
applies to these people.  See
Special Topic: Foolish People.

▣ Notice how “the fool” is
characterized.

1. they are corrupt — BDB 1007, KB 1469, Hiphil perfect (i.e., a settled condition)

2. they have committed abominable deeds — BDB 1073, KB 1765, Hiphil
perfect (i.e., a settled condition)

▣ “abominable deeds” See
Special Topic below.

SPECIAL
TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT)

▣ “There is no one who does good”
This is a general statement on the spiritual condition of fallen mankind,
even the covenant people. It is elaborated on in Ps. 14:2-3. Notice how
fallen humanity is characterized.

1. no one does good, Ps. 14:1,3 (inclusive)

2. no one understands

3. no one seeks after God

4. all have turned aside (see note at Ps. 14:3)

5. all have become corrupt

One clearly sees the influence of Genesis 3 on all humanity. Paul put
together a powerful litany of verses on human rebellion in Rom. 3:9-18,23.
He quotes Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-4; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Isa. 59:7-8; Ps. 36:1.
This truth is the first truth of the gospel (Rom. 1:18-3:18). The gospel
is “good news” in light of the bad news!

14:2 “The Lord has
looked down from heaven” YHWH was envisioned to dwell in
heaven (see
Special Topic:
Heaven), from which He sees and knows all
that occurs on earth (acts, motives, intents, cf. Ps. 33:13,14; 102:19;
Job 28:24). YHWH, so different from the idols, sees, knows, and acts!

14:3 “they have turned aside”
YHWH’s covenant was a clearly-marked path/road/way. His people were to
stay on this straight (i.e., righteous) and narrow road, but they did not
(cf. Exod. 32:8; Deut. 9:12; 11:16; 17:11,17; Jdgs. 2:17; 1 Sam. 12:20; 2
Kgs. 22:2; Jer. 5:23; 17:13; 32:40). The turning away was not an act of
ignorance but purposeful rebellion!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 14:4-6
 ⁴Do
all the workers of wickedness not know,
 Who
eat up my people as they eat bread,
 And do not call upon the
Lord?
 ⁵There
they are in great dread,
 For
God is with the righteous generation.
 ⁶You
would put to shame the counsel of the afflicted,
 But the Lord
is his refuge.

14:4-6 This strophe heightens the results of
“not knowing” (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal perfect,
see Special Topic:
Know). The actions of the wicked against the poor,
needy, and those with no social voice or power will be judged by God,
their protector (cf. Deut. 10:17-19; 14:29; 24:17,19-22; 26:12,13; 27:19)!

He is their “refuge” (BDB 340, cf. Ps. 2:12; 5:11; 34:22). To
attack them is to attack Him. He will defend them.

14:4

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV, LXX“do
not call upon the Lord”
TEV“they
never pray to me”
NJB, REB“they
never call to YHWH”
JPSOA“do not
invoke the Lord”

The verb (BDB 894, KB 1128, Qal perfect) is a common one used in many ways (i.e., a
wide semantic field). In Psalms it has several usages.

1. of priests in ritual and prayer — Ps. 99:6

2. of the prayers of the covenant people — Ps. 4:3; 20:9;
50:15; 86:5; 91:15; 107:6,13; 116:2; 141:1

3. the nations do not call on YHWH (i.e., Ps. 79:6) but Israel does
— Ps. 14:4; 50:15; 53:4

In the NT this OT worship phrase (i.e., ritual and prayer) becomes a way
of denoting entrance into a relationship with YHWH through Jesus (cf. Acts
2:21; 22:16; Rom. 10:9-13).

We are a called people who call on the name of the Lord and are then
called to service! Prayerlessness is a sign of false faith and practical
atheism!

14:5 “There they are in great dread”
Literally this is “they feared a fear” (Qal perfect and noun of the
same root — BDB 808, KB 922).

Since “there” is undefined, some switch it to the end of the
phrase and add “where there is no fear” (AB, NJB).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 14:7
 ⁷O,
that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
 When the Lord
restores His captive people,
 Jacob
will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

14:7 “O, that the salvation of Israel”
This is a title for YHWH who dwells in Zion (i.e., Mt. Moriah, the
temple). Notice the parallel of “YHWH” in line 2.

This verse is also found in Ps. 53:6, which means it may be proverbial.
The LXX makes this first line a question.

▣ “restores” This same verb (BDB 996, KB 1427) also can mean “repent”
or “turn back.” However, in this context Israel is not called on
to repent.

There is a word play between “restores” (BDB 996) and “fortunes”
(BDB 986). The footnote in the NET Bible has “turns with a turning
(toward) his people.”

▣ “Jacob. . .Israel” The
Patriarch Jacob had twelve children who became the twelve tribes. Jacob’s
name was changed to Israel in Gen. 32:22-32.

SPECIAL
TOPIC: ISRAEL (THE NAME)

▣ “rejoice. . .be glad” Both
of these verbs denote the result of
restoration. Verbs in Hebrew take their time
orientation from the context. This context is future.

1. rejoice — BDB 162, KB 189, Qal jussive

2. be glad — BDB 970, KB 1333, Qal imperfect
used in a jussive sense

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means
that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of
us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are
priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the
major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. What did the fool mean by his statement, “There is no God”?

2. Does the OT teach that all humans are sinful?

3. What does it mean “to call upon the Lord“?

4. Does Ps. 14:7 imply an exile?

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