Bible Commentaries
Psalms 14

Verses 1-7

PSALM 14

The resource of the godly when the evil of the world, in the last days, rises to a climax in the sight of God who is about to execute judgment.

The foundations are undermined in Psalm 11 ; the faithful fail from among men in Psalm 12 ; God apparently forgets, and is as One hidden in Psalm 13 : the climax of evil is reached by the fool and the workers of iniquity coming to the forefront in Psalm 14 .

In a few brief words this psalm brings before us the awful condition of the world during the reign of Antichrist when outwardly all moral foundations are gone; when the faithful cease; when God is hidden; when utter apostasy prevails, and sin lifts itself up against God.

(v. 1) The characteristic man of this terrible time will be “the fool” - the man who has no fear of God. In his heart he says, “No God”; and his corrupt and abominable life manifests the thought of his heart.

(vv. 2-3) The climax of wickedness being reached the world is ripe for judgment, and God looks down upon the children of men as about to act in judgment. It is not simply that all is under the eye of God, which is ever true, but this is the look that precedes judgment. The Lord came down to see before the judgment at Babel. Again He looked towards Sodom before its destruction ( Gen_18:16 ); and yet again we read that the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians before their overthrow ( Exo_14:24 ). God sees that the wickedness of man is such that there is no other way to vindicate His majesty save by judgment. None are left among the children of men that seek God. All are gone aside; all became filthy. “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

(v. 4) God has looked upon this scene of unparalleled wickedness; now He speaks. He asks, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?” Has man become stupid like the beasts? (cp. Isa_1:3 ). The way men treat the people of God answers the question. They ill-treat God's people in utter indifference to God, just as they eat bread without reference to God. Moreover man pursues his way in utter independence of God - they “call not upon the Lord.” Thus the world is proved to be ripe for judgment by its own absolute corruption and filthiness; by the way it treats God's people, and by its utter independence of God.

(vv. 5-6) Nevertheless, when God speaks it becomes manifest that God is in the generation of the righteous. Then men will begin to fear, and the godly will realize that the Lord is their refuge.

(v. 7) Anticipating God's speedy intervention, the godly celebrate the joy and gladness that will flow from the deliverance of His people.