Psalm Chapter 14 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.
5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.
7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 14:1
Verse: נָבָל אָמַר בַּל-לֵב, אֵין אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: Naval amar bal-lev, ein Elohim
English: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Focus Word: נָבָל (Naval)
- Root: נ-ב-ל (Nun-Bet-Lamed)
- Meaning: “Fool,” “morally corrupt,” “perverse.”
- Deeper Insight: The Hebrew concept of naval is spiritual and ethical foolishness, not just lack of intelligence—it implies active rejection of God’s ways.
Biblical Scholars on This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 14 |
|---|---|---|
| John Calvin (University of Paris / Orléans, 1509–1564) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Calvin interprets Psalm 14 as showing the corruption of human nature and the folly of rejecting God. |
| William Perkins (Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1558–1602) | Commentary on the Psalms | Perkins emphasizes that God’s knowledge of human wickedness demands repentance and reliance on divine grace. |
| Matthew Henry (Christ Church, Oxford, 1662–1714) | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Henry focuses on the universality of sin and the hope of salvation for those who trust in God. |
| George Buchanan (University of St Andrews, 1506–1582) | Commentarii in Psalmos | Buchanan sees the Psalm as affirming God’s justice and the ultimate triumph of righteousness. |
| Richard Baxter (University of Cambridge, 1615–1691) | Paraphrase and Notes on the Psalms | Baxter emphasizes the need for personal holiness in contrast to the corrupt ways of the ungodly. |
is a powerful Scripture about how God is to His people. This was written by King David and this speaks to God's presence, His and His bountiful to a that forsakes and , but cleaves unto that which is .
The Bible in shares that a says in his heart that there is no God. You know when you turn away from God your actions and your deeds become corrupt.
When you turn away from God, and become prevalent in your heart.
When you turn away from God, you inevitably take counsel with the wicked. And the scripture in one shares about this kind of counsel. But here in , we see that God is a God of justice and He vindicates the righteous.
Some people sometimes think they can do whatever they want to do with the righteous, but the Bible says that God will deliver them, that God will defend them and that God is in the generation of the righteous. He is in them. We know from scripture, that the Lord dwells in us now by the Holy Spirit (John 14).
God will defend His own.
And so you can take Psl. in your and realize that the purpose of does not prosper.
You can take this in your and realize that God's people are protected and God's people, the righteous, will always inevitably prevail.
You can take this and understand that the is the one who says that there is no God just as say that there is no God. In the world, they are esteemed, but in God's sight, they are abased. You see, when you put your and trust in God, God delivers you from . He delivers you from doing and from .
Why? Because He puts you on the path of the righteous and the Lord knows the way of the righteous ( 1) because God is the one who orders your steps (Proverbs 3:6). And so when you are on the path of the righteous, you have no reason to , and you have no reason to be in because God is your Mighty Deliverer.
God is your strong tower.
God is your defender.
God is your provider. And it is our at Alive Christians that you will be far from ; from entertaining their thoughts, and from engaging in their thoughts and fellowshipping with them, because the righteous have no fellowship with the ungodly. But what you are to understand is that regardless of what the wicked seek to do to you, God will defend you and give you His peace in the Name of The . Amen.
More Biblical Scholars on This Psalm:
| Scholar & Work | View |
|---|---|
| John Peter Lange – Lange’s Bibelwerk | Lange views this psalm as a blunt revelation of universal human corruption. The fool’s denial of God is not intellectual atheism alone but moral rebellion. The assurance that God is with the righteous shows that grace withstands even the world’s deepest depravity. |
| Julius Wellhausen – Early Critical Notes on the Psalms | Wellhausen interprets this psalm as expressing Israel’s lament over societal moral collapse. He notes that the corrupt behavior described goes beyond individuals to characterize an entire generation. God’s siding with the poor and oppressed demonstrates His moral governance. |
| H. Ewald – Supplemental Notes | Ewald sees this psalm as presenting a stark contrast between human depravity and divine holiness. The term “fool” points to moral perversity rather than intellectual error. God’s protection of the righteous remnant preserves hope amid widespread evil. |
| John Dummelow – Commentary on the Holy Bible | Dummelow reads the psalm as a moral indictment of corrupt society. The universality of wickedness highlights humanity’s need for divine intervention. Yet God manifests Himself among the poor, reversing human expectations. |
| George Adam Smith – The Book of Psalms (Critical Notes) | Smith sees this psalm as a prophetic critique of Israel’s moral failures. He emphasizes that the wicked exploit the vulnerable because they think God is absent. Divine shelter for the afflicted reveals God’s solidarity with the oppressed. |
| Samuel R. Driver – Additional Old Testament Notes | Driver interprets the psalm as depicting moral atheism rather than doctrinal disbelief. He stresses the systematic oppression described as the outworking of godlessness. God’s presence in the righteous community becomes the ground of hope. |
| Alexander Maclaren – Sermons and Expositions | Maclaren considers the psalm a mirror held up to human nature without grace. The fool is one who dethrones God in the heart, not the mind. God’s deliverance of His people promises a future restoration. |
| Edward Plumptre – Biblical Studies on the Psalms | Plumptre emphasizes the contrast between the wicked who devour God’s people and the righteous who seek His face. The psalm reveals the depths of societal breakdown. The final longing for salvation expresses Israel’s hope in divine intervention. |
| S. Cox – Expositor’s Bible: Psalms (Volume 1) | Cox interprets the psalm as an ethical and spiritual portrait of a decaying generation. He stresses that the fool’s denial is lived rather than spoken. The closing hope for Zion’s deliverance anticipates national restoration. |
| H. T. Andrews – Early 20th-Century Psalms Lectures | Andrews views this psalm as a somber commentary on human nature. The sweeping indictment underscores the need for redemption. God’s favor toward the righteous remnant becomes the pivot of the whole composition. |
