14 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.

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

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.

This is a song that David wrote for the music leader.

God rules the world

14 Only fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’
People like that do bad and evil things.
    None of them do things that are good and right.
The Lord is looking down from heaven.
He looks at the people of the world,
    to see if there are any wise people among them.
He looks to see if anyone wants to know God.
But everyone has turned away from God.
    They have all become evil.
Not even one person does things that are right!
Will those evil people never learn?
They destroy my people,
    as if they are eating a meal.
They never pray to the Lord.
Look at them! Now they are very afraid!
    They see that God is with the people who obey him.
You wicked people tried to bring shame to poor people.
But the Lord keeps poor people safe.
The Lord is the one who can save Israel's people.
    Please Lord, come now from your home in Zion!
When the Lord makes his people strong again,
    Jacob's descendants will be happy!
Yes, Israel's people will shout with joy![a]

Footnotes

  1. 14:7 God gave to Jacob a new name, ‘Israel’. So Jacob's descendants and Israel's people mean the same people, the Lord's people.

Folly of the Godless, and God’s Final Triumph(A)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

14 The (B)fool has said in his heart,
There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.

(C)The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
(D)They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And (E)do not call on the Lord?
There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the Lord is his (F)refuge.

(G)Oh,[a] that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
(H)When the Lord brings back [b]the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:7 Lit. Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel?
  2. Psalm 14:7 Or His captive people