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Psalm 14[a]

A Lament over Widespread Corruption

For the leader. Of David.

I

The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt;
    not one does what is good.(A)
The Lord looks down from heaven
    upon the children of men,(B)
To see if even one is wise,
    if even one seeks God.(C)
All have gone astray;
    all alike are perverse.
Not one does what is good,
    not even one.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14 The lament (duplicated in Ps 53) depicts the world as consisting of two types of people: “the fool” (equals the wicked, Ps 14:1–3) and “the company of the just” (Ps 14:4–6; also called “my people,” and “the poor”). The wicked persecute the just, but the Psalm expresses the hope that God will punish the wicked and reward the good.

I

The fool says in his heart,(A)
    “There is no God.”(B)
They act corruptly and practice injustice;
    there is none that does good.
God looks out from the heavens
    upon the children of Adam,(C)
To see if there is a discerning person(D)
    who is seeking God.
All have gone astray;
    each one is altogether perverse.
    There is not one who does what is good, not even one.(E)

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20 (A)yet there is no one on earth so just as to do good and never sin.

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