Thursday, November 7, 2013

Reflections on Psalms 14

 Psalms 14(Contemporary English Version)
  1. (A psalm by David for the music leader.) Only a fool would say, "There is no God!" People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right.
  2. From heaven the LORD looks down to see if anyone is wise enough to search for him.
  3. But all of them are corrupt; no one does right.
  4. Won't you evil people learn? You refuse to pray, and you gobble down the LORD's people.
  5. But you will be frightened, because God is on the side of every good person.
  6. You may spoil the plans of the poor, but the LORD protects them.
  7. I long for someone from Zion to come and save Israel! Our LORD, when you bless your people again, Jacob's family will be glad, and Israel will celebrate.

David, in this Psalm, indicts mankind observing that there is "no one who does good." (14:1) He is not saying there are none who are righteous for he makes reference to those who are righteous. But he is saying that righteousness does not come naturally to man for he is naturally corrupt.

It is a fool who says, "God does not exist," (14:1) and it is a wise person "who seeks God." (14:2) The rejection of God is not a result of wise observation but is a conclusion that ignores the wonders of God in creation. It actually separates one from wisdom which comes only from God. Apart from Him there is no wisdom. In this Psalm, as elsewhere in scripture, there is a relationship between one believing there is no God and the leading of a corrupt life. It is between the two that one makes their choice: the choice to reject God results from a choice to live a corrupt life. Conversely, the choice to accept the reality of God rejects that there is wisdom in living a corrupt life.

Those who reject God and choose to do evil see the righteous as weak, easy prey and "consume" them "as they consume bread." What they fail to understand is that "God is with those who are righteous." (14:5) A time will come when the evildoers who consume God's people "will be filled with terror" at God's judgment on them.

David's prayer in this Psalm is that the day will soon come when God restores His people from evildoers.

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