Psalm 14

A Portrait of Sinners

For the choir director. Davidic.

The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.”(A)
They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race(B)
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.
All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.[a](C)

Will evildoers never understand?
They consume My people as they consume bread;(D)
they do not call on the Lord.(E)

Then[b] they will be filled with terror,
for God is with those who are[c] righteous.(F)
You sinners frustrate the plans of the afflicted,(G)
but the Lord is his refuge.(H)

Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of His people,[d]
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.[e](I)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:3 Some Hb mss, some LXX mss add the material found in Rm 3:13-18.
  2. Psalm 14:5 Or There
  3. Psalm 14:5 Lit with the generation of the
  4. Psalm 14:7 Or restores His captive people
  5. Psalm 14:7 Or let Jacob rejoice; let Israel be glad.

Psalm 14

For the music leader. Of David.

14 Fools say in their hearts, There is no God.
    They are corrupt and do evil things;
    not one of them does anything good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on humans
    to see if anyone is wise,
    to see if anyone seeks God,
        but all of them have turned bad.
        Everyone is corrupt.
        No one does good—
        not even one person!

Are they dumb, all these evildoers,
    devouring my people
    like they are eating bread
        but never calling on the Lord?

Count on it:[a] they will be in utter panic
    because God is with the righteous generation.
You evildoers may humiliate
    the plans of those who suffer,
        but the Lord is their refuge.

Let Israel’s salvation come out of Zion!
        When the Lord changes
        his people’s circumstances for the better,
        Jacob will rejoice;
        Israel will celebrate!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:5 Or There they will be; cf 53:5