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The Folly of the Godless and God’s Final Triumph

For the music director. Of David.[a]

14 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt.
They do abominable deeds.
There is none who does good.
Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind
to see whether there is one who has insight,
one who cares about God.
All have gone astray;
they are altogether corrupt.
There is not one who does good;
there is not even one.
All who do evil—do they not know,
they who eat my people as though they were eating bread?
They do not call on Yahweh.
There they are very fearful[b]
because God is with the generation of the righteous.
You would put to shame the plan of the poor,
because[c] Yahweh is his refuge.
Oh that from Zion[d] would come salvation for Israel!
When Yahweh returns the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be happy.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 14:5 Literally “they feared a fear”
  3. Psalm 14:6 Or “but”
  4. Psalm 14:7 Literally “Who will give that from Zion”

To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.

The Fool and God’s Response

14 Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt and commit evil deeds;
        not one of them practices what is good.

The Lord looks down from the heavens upon humanity[a]
    to see if anyone shows discernment as he searches for God.
All have turned away,
    together they have become corrupt;
        no one practices what is good, not even one.

Will those who do evil ever learn?
    They devour my people like they devour bread,
        and never call on the Lord.
There they are seized with terror,
    because God is with those who are[b] righteous.

You would frustrate the plans of the oppressed,[c]
    but the Lord is their refuge.
May Israel’s deliverance come from Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
        Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be glad.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:2 Lit. upon the sons of Adam
  2. Psalm 14:5 Lit. with the generation of the
  3. Psalm 14:6 Or the poor
  4. Psalm 14:7 Cf. Ps 53:1-6