‘For the Chief Musician. Of David.’

This is yet another psalm dedicated to the Choirmaster and part of the Davidic collection.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

‘The fool has said in his heart,

There is no God.

They are corrupt, they have done abominable works,

There is none who does good.’

A general verdict is passed on mankind. They behave like fools because they reject the idea of God as the one to Whom they are accountable. They have many gods, they worship idols who but represent aspects of creation, but in their hearts they reject the living God who speaks to them through the wonder of creation and through their consciences. They say that there is no such God. See Rom 1:18-23.

‘The fool.’ This is rather describing the morally perverse person who rejects the idea of living a godly life. ‘Folly’ in the Old Testament is a term used to describe the person who behaves foolishly in that he forgets or misrepresents God or refuses to do His will (Deu 32:6; Deu 32:21; Job 42:8; Psa 74:18; Psa 74:22), he commits gross offences against morality (2Sa 13:12-13) or sacrilege (Jos 7:15), or he behaves churlishly and unwisely (1Sa 25:25). See also Isa 32:5-6. Inevitably he always sees himself as wise.

‘In his heart.’ It is not his intellect that rejects the idea of God, but his will and emotions. He does not want to have to face up to God because of what it might involve in a transformed life. He likes living as he is. See Psa 73:11; Jer 5:12; Zep 1:12.

‘They are corrupt, they have done abominable works.’ Compare Gen 6:11. They are corrupt within and their lives reveal what they really are, sinful, violent, idolatrous, sexually perverted. See Rom 1:18-32.

‘There is none who does good.’ This is the final verdict on the world. All mankind are fools in this sense, for sin is folly. The difference is that some have found forgiveness. God is declaring that there is no true, positive, untainted goodness in the world. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). All are likewise guilty.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Psalms 14

Historical Background – Psalms 14 is almost identical to Psa 53:1-6; only Psa 14:5-6 differ. Psalms 14 is in book 1 (Psalms 1-41) and Psalms 53 is in book 2 (Psalms 42-72). One difference when comparing these two Psalms is that Psalms 14 used the word YHWH ( ) (H3068), while Psalms 53 uses the general name for God “Eloheim” ( ) (H430). This implies that the Psalms may have consisted of several separate, smaller books, with some of the Psalms being the same. At some point, these books were condensed into the entire book of Psalms as we know it today.

We see this duplication in Psalms 18 and 2 Samuel 22. Also, Psa 70:1-5 is a duplicate of Psa 40:13-17. This duplication is also found in the book of Proverbs, implying that it had a similar composition.

Psa 14:1  (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) 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.

Psa 14:1 Word Study on “the fool” – Hebrew – The Hebrew word for fool is “nabal” ( ) (H5036). This is also the name of the man called Nabal, whom God killed for his foolishness in 1 Samuel 25.

Psa 14:2  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

Psa 14:3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psa 14:2-3 Comments Human Depravity – Rom 3:10-12 quotes from Psa 14:2-3, revealing that that every person has sinned.

Rom 3:10-12, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Psa 14:4  Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

Psa 14:5  There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

Psa 14:5 “for God is in the generation of the righteous” Scripture Reference – Note:

Psa 24:6, “This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Of the Corruption of Natural Man and the Lord’s Salvation.

This psalm may well have been composed at the time when David was specially impressed with the wickedness of men, when he felt the oppression of persecution, or experienced the dangers of rebellion. He saw the great and apparently universal depravity of men, against which there is only one remedy, namely, the salvation of the Lord, whose delivering power is able to lift even the most besotted sinner to the plane of redemption. To the chief musician, a psalm of David.

v. 1. The fool, the spiritually worthless, the madman in things pertaining to his soul’s salvation, hath said in his heart, it is his steady secret thought and delusion, There is no God. A person who denies the existence of God is truly foolish, filled with madness; he denies the evidences of his own senses, he deliberately silences the voice of his own conscience. They, all those who give way to foolishness in this manner, are corrupt, they have done abominable works, the idea of badness being emphasized by the whole structure of the text. There is none that doeth good, the inherited wickedness of the human heart is intensified in the case of those who deliberately give way to godlessness.

v. 2. The Lord looked down from heaven, bowing forward for the purpose of examining very closely, upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, if any of the sons of Adam, any member of the human race, had an insight into divine things, and seek God, acknowledging Him and His fellowship as the highest good. The result of this careful examination is now stated.

v. 3. They are all gone aside, turning away from the path of righteousness and holiness which the divine will has set forth for them to walk, they are all together become filthy, tainted, filled with corruption, so that their stench rises to the nostrils of God; there is none that doeth good, no, not one, the universality of human depravity being stated in the most emphatic terms. But this corruption shows itself most strongly in the children of wickedness, as the question of the psalmist shows.

v. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Are they so utterly stupid, devoid of all sense? Has the judgment upon them so stultified their minds that they believe their hypocrisy undiscovered by God? Who eat up my people as they eat bread, not only supporting themselves by devouring the substance of the godly, but also considering their oppression of the righteous altogether self-evident and justified, and call not upon the Lord. They are not in prayerful communion with Jehovah, hence they act like beasts of prey.

v. 5. There were they in great fear, namely, at the time when the thunder of Jehovah’s wrath hurls them down, they cringe and cower in terror when His judgment approaches; for God is in the generation of the righteous, He protects and governs His children and brings about their complete victory over their enemies. The attitude of the unbelievers at such a time is the same as that of the Egyptians when the Lord troubled them, Exo 14:24-25.

v. 6. Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, the wicked may do so, but in vain, the Lord cries out to them through the poet, because the Lord is his Refuge, Jehovah is his Stronghold, his Defense and Protection. But in view of these conditions the psalmist is constrained to call to the Lord for deliverance.

v. 7. Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! Mount Zion, the place where the Ark of the Covenant had found its resting-place, was the place of the presence of God in the midst of His people. It was here that David looked for deliverance upon his poor people, the true believers, suffering under the oppression of the wicked. When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of His people, delivering them from the oppression of this great evil which was now besetting them, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad, these two names, Jacob and Israel, being designations of the Church of God, not only in the Old Testament, but at all times. It is, in reality; a Messianic call: Oh, that Jehovah, from His throne in Zion, would grant salvation to His people by revisiting them in their captive, forsaken state, by sending the Messiah to bring them deliverance, thus giving occasion of the greatest rejoicing to the Church of all times! This was fulfilled when the Son of God became man and delivered all mankind from the oppression of all enemies; then it was that salvation of the right kind came upon Israel.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

IT has been strongly argued, from the mention of the “captivity” of God’s people in Psa 14:7, that this psalm was written during the sojourn in Babylon, and therefore not by David (De Wette). But “captivity” is often used metaphorically in Scripture (Job 42:10; Eze 16:53; Rom 7:23; 2Co 10:5; Eph 4:8, etc.); and to “return to the captivity “which is the expression used in Psa 14:7is simply to visit and relieve those who are oppressed. There is nothing, therefore, to prevent the psalm from being David’s, as it is said to be in the title. With respect to the time in David’s life whereto it is to be referred, Dr Kay’s conjecture, which assigns it to the period of the flight from Absalom, may be accepted. The psalm is composed of two stanzas, one setting forth the wickedness of the ungodly (Psa 14:1-3), the other announcing their coming discomfiture, and the relief and consequent joy of the oppressed (Psa 14:4-7). (On the resemblance and differences between this psalm and Psa 53:1-6; see the comment on Psa 53:1-6.)

Psa 14:1

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. An atheism is here depicted which goes beyond even that of Psa 10:1-18. There the existence of God was not so much denied as his providence. Here his existence is not only denied, but denied in the very depths of the man’s heart. He has contrived to convince himself of what he so much wishes. The psalmist regards such a state of mind as indicative of that utter perversity and folly which is implied in the term nabal (). They are corrupt; literally, they have corrupted themselves (comp. Gem 6:12; Jdg 2:19). Their atheism is accompanied by deep moral corruption. We have no right to say that this is always so; but the tendency of atheism to relax moral restraints is indisputable. They have done abominable works (comp. Psa 10:3 and Psa 10:4). There is none that doeth good; i.e. none among them. The psalmist does not intend his words to apply to the whole human race. He has in his mind a, ” righteous generation” (Psa 10:5), “God’s people” (Psa 10:4), whom he sets over against the wicked, both in this psalm and elsewhere universally (see Psa 1:1-3; Psa 2:12; Psa 3:8; Psa 4:3, etc.).

Psa 14:2

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men. Corruption having reached such a height as it had, God, is represented as looking down from heaven with a special objectto see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. To see, i.e; if among the crowd of the “abominable” doers spoken of in Psa 14:1 there were any of a better spirit, and possessed of understanding, and willing to seek after God. But it was in vain. The result of his scrutiny appears in the next verse.

Psa 14:3

They are all gone aside. Haccol (), “the totality”one and all of them had turned aside, like the Israelites at Sinai (Exo 32:8); they had quitted the way of righteousness, and turned to wicked courses. The expression “denotes a generalall but universal-corruption” (‘Speaker’s Commentary’). They are all together become filthy; literally, sour, rancidlike milk that has turned, or butter that has become bad. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. St. Paul’s application of this passage (Rom 3:10-12), to prove that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (verse 23), goes beyond the intention of the psalmist.

Psa 14:4

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? The exclamation is put in the mouth of God. Can it be possible that none of these evil-doers is aware of the results of evil-doing? Do they think to escape Divine retribution? The “wonder expresses the magnitude of their folly” (Hengstenberg). Who eat up my people as they eat bread. Reducing men to poverty, robbing them, and devouring their substance, is called, in Scripture, devouring the men themselves (see Pro 30:14; Isa 3:14; Mic 3:3). Those who are plundered and despoiled are compared to “bread” in Num 14:2. The Homeric , adduced by Dr. Kay, is an instance of the same metaphor. And call not upon the Lord. This might have seemed scarcely to need mention, since “how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” (Rom 10:14). But it connects them definitely with the atheists of Num 14:1.

Psa 14:5

There were they in great fear. “There”in the midst of their evil-doing, while they are devouring God’s peoplea sudden terror seizes on them. Psa 53:5 adds, “Where no fear was,” which seems to imply a panic terror, like that which seized the Syrians when they were besieging Samaria (2Ki 7:6, 2Ki 7:7). For God is in the generation of the righteous. God’s people cannot be attacked without provoking him; they ere in him, and he in them; he will assuredly come to their relief.

Psa 14:6

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his Refuge. The sense is obscure. Some translate, “Ye may shame the counsel of the poor (i.e. put it to shame, baffle it); but in vain; for the poor have a sure Refuge,” and the ultimate triumph will belong to them. Others, “Ye pour contempt on the poor man’s counsel,” or “resolve,” because “the Lord is his Refuge;” i.e. ye contemn it, and deride it, just because it rests wholly on a belief in God, which you regard as folly (see Psa 14:1).

Psa 14:7

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! The salvation of the “righteous generation” (Psa 14:5), the “true Israel,” is sure to come. Oh that it were come already! It will proceed “out of Zion,” since God’s Name is set there. The ark of the covenant had been already set up in the place which it was thenceforth to occupy (see 2Sa 6:12-17). David’s reign in Jerusalem is begun. When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people; either, when the Lord turneth the ill fortune of his people, or, when the Lord returneth to the captivity of his people; i.e. when he no longer turns away from their sufferings and afflictions, but turns towards them, and lifts up the light of his countenance upon them, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (For the union of these two names, see Psa 78:21, Psa 78:71; Psa 105:23; Psa 135:4, etc.) God’s people shall celebrate their deliverance with a psalm of thanksgiving.

HOMILETICS

Psa 14:1

The fool’s creed, and its consequences.

“The fool hath said,” etc. This is very plain speaking. Bible writers are not wont to wrap their meaning in soft phrases. They utter truth in words clear as sunbeams, keen as lightning. This word “fool” refers to character rather than understanding. The psalmist has in his eye one blinded by worldliness or besotted with vice, who can see no charm in virtue, no beauty in holiness, no loveliness, grandeur, attractiveness, in Divine truth. “The fool’s creed,” as it has been called, is not the conclusion of his reason, but the practical language of a lawless, selfish life. On this very account it is objected that this is not only a harsh, ]out an unjust judgment, if it be taken to mean that none but fools say, “There is no God.” Wise men, it is affirmed, are to be found saying the same thing.

I. THIS CLAIM REQUIRES OUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. For our first duty is to be just. An unjust Christian is a living contradiction.

1. Now, it is at all events clear that any one who should affirm positively, as a truth men may be certain of, that “there is no God,” would be guilty of stupendous folly. Whether the evidence that God exists be adequate and convincing or no, there can be no contrary evidence. To be entitled to assert that God does not exist, a man must possess at least one attribute of Deityomniscience.

2. Therefore thoughtful sceptics in our own day do not venture on this tremendous assertion. They disclaim the name “atheists,” and call themselves “agnostics;” q.d. persons who do not pretend to assert or deny the Divine existence, but simply maintain that the Cause of all things is altogether unknown and unknowable. Let us be honest, and not confuse things with a mist of words. Practically, agnosticism and atheism come to the same result. “The ungodly,” in Scripture language, are not merely the openly vicious or violently wicked; they are those who do not fear, love, trust, obey God; who do not know God (1Jn 4:8). Practically, therefore, the agnostic, who may be wise in all worldly wisdom; cultured, virtuous, benevolent; takes sides in the great warfare and journey of life, with the fool. If the agnostic be right, Moses, David, Isaiah, and all the ancient prophets; St. Paul, St. John, and all the apostles; St. Stephen and all the martyrs; with the greatest champions of justice and benevolence in all ages,followed cunningly devised fables; Jesus Christ founded his religion and his Church on an illusion. The fool has in his blindness stumbled on the truth hid from the best and wisest in all ages: “There is no God!”

II. Supposing this ghastly denial to be, not the fool’s, but the wise man’s creedthe nearest approach to truth we can make on the greatest of all questions: let us reflect a little on the consequences. Truth, it may be said, is truth, whatever be the consequences. That is so. But consequences may be a test of truth. Unless truth leads to happiness and goodness, life is aimless wandering, and human nature a lie.

1. “No God!” Then Divine providence is a fiction. No wise plan or gracious purpose lives through each life, or through the history of the race. No eye watches over us with unsleeping care. No hand is on the helm of human affairs. We thought that the steps of a good man were ordered by the Lord; that he was the Ruler of nations, King of kings, and Friend of the widow and fatherless. These ideas must be given up as idle dreams. Lawa meaningless word, if there be no Supreme Will or Organizing Mind; and chancethe jumble of misconnected causesrule all.

2. “No God!” Then prayer must be an illusion. We thought that when the poor man cried, the Lord heard him; that when we east our care on him, he cared for us; that it was as easy for him to grant his children’s requests, without any interference with the laws of his universe, as for a mother to give her child bread. All the laws of the universe went to the making of the loafnot to disable, but to enable her to grant her child’s prayer. If there be no God, or none we can know, prayer is of all delusions the most vain.

3. “No God! Then there is no pardon for sin. Conscience must bear its awful burden: the heart’s deepest wound must bleed without balm; the tears of repentance must be frozen at their source by the terrible thoughtthere is no forgiveness!

4. “No God!” Then human life is degraded inexpressibly. It has no supreme purposeno aim beyond or above itself. Human reason can draw no light or strength from wisdom higher than its own. History has no goal.

5. “No God!” Then sorrow is comfortless, No voice has a right to say,” Come unto me, and I will give you rest.” You must bear your burden in your own strength. Death and darkness close all.

6. “No God!” Then there is as wisdom higher than man‘s; no strength stronger; no love deeper. No communion with an unseen, ever-present Friend and Helper, to lift our life above this world. No fountain of hope, purity, wisdom, for humanity. No common object of trust or centre of unity for mankind. Is it reasonable to think that it is truth which leads us into this pathless, sunless desert of despair? Is it falsehood that has inspired the teaching of apostles and prophets, nerved the courage of martyrs, sanctified the genius and learning of some of the noblest intellects, inspired the purest and most loving and lovely lives; that is the salt of goodness in daily life, the lamp of home, the victory’ over death, the comfort of bereaved hearts? Or is it the truest as well as highest instinct in our nature that answers to the voice (Isa 41:10, Isa 41:13; Isa 43:11, Isa 43:13, Isa 43:25)?

HOMILIES BY C. CLEMANCE

Psa 14:1-7

The depravity of a godless world, viewed by God.

This psalm is given us twiceas the fourteenth and the fifty-third. It is one of those which assumes a revelation of God as a redeeming God, and also the existence of a redeemed people of God. And by way of consequence it assumes the necessity of a Divine redemption in order to bring about “the generation of the righteous.” This could only have come about by Divine grace and by Divine power. Hence the very manifest distinction noted in the psalm between “the children of men” (Psa 14:2) and the people of God (Psa 14:4). The central part of the third chapter of the Epistle to the Romans is a commentary on this psalm by one of the most richly inspired penmen. When God saw, as with his all-piercing gaze he looked down from heaven, that among “the children. of men” there was absolutely not one righteous, no, not onemanifestly, a “generation of the righteous” could never have existed save for a gracious redemption and regeneration from above. And while the Apostle Paul develops from this description of the world, man’s absolute need of a Divine interposition, we, in expounding the psalm itself, must work distinctly on its own lines, showing the state of things in the world on which the eye of God rested, and also how far that state of things exists in it still. The expositor must also take up the Christian standpoint, and show when and for what purpose the Lord looked down on such a sight.

I. A FEARFUL SIGHT ON WHICH “THE LORD LOOKED DOWN? To what precise period of time the psalm refers, we have no means of knowing; nor at what exact period it was written. This, however, is of no consequence. Every point specified here can. be verified now.

1. The depravity of man had vented itself in the most egregious folly, even in the denial, of God. There is ample room for the Christian teacher to expose the folly of such denial quite irrespectively of his theory of creation, be it the evolutionary one or no. Either way, the

(1) teleological,

(2) cosmological, and

(3) ontological proofs remain the same;

in fact, the teleological proof is receiving abundant and amazing illustrations in modern discovery; so much so that its power again and again “overwhelmed” Mr. Darwin himself. The argument in Paley’s ‘Natural. Theology ‘ may need resetting, but in substance has lost none of its force. While Mr. Herbert Spencer’s statement, that we know with undoubting certainty that there is “an infinite and eternal Energy from which everything proceeds” is one of which the Christian advocate may make large and effective use. That there is a God all Nature cries aloud in all her works. And not till a man is a “nabal,” “a fool,” a withered, sapless being, does he come to deny the Divine existence. Such denial has, however, not yet ceased. On the contrary, it has assumed in our days a boldness not even contemplated by the psalmist himself. There is

(1) practical atheism, where men profess to know God, while in works they deny him;

(2) agnosticism;

(3) theoretical atheism, and even anti-theism;

(4) and in some of the works of positivists, it is even reckoned as a virtue for men to have no fear of God before their eyes I

2. Such atheism is the most striking and grievous folly.

(1) It is irrational.

(2) It is corrupting.

(3) It breaks out into abominable acts.

(4) In the course of its evolution, it makes aggressions on and even mocks at theology, religion, and religions people.

(5) It will gradually dry up entirely the springs of social virtue. It may not do this in the first generation, if the denier of God has first been cast by early Christian teaching in the mould of social morality and goodness; but let generation after generation of atheists arise, and it will be seen that when the ties are snapped which bind men to their God, the ties which bind man to man are cut asunder as well!

3. Such atheism is fearfully widespread among “the children of men.“ “None that did understand, that did seek God.” It is common among

(1) the irreligious;

(2) the free-thinkers;

(3) philosophers, under the guise of philosophy;

(4) scientific men, under the guise of science. The fact is, atheism is of the heart, not of the head. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,” and turns the very arguments which prove the Divine existence into an excuse for denying it! Its cry is, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us!” How grievous and terrible a sight is a world like this! How loathsome to infinite purity, when men are altogether become unprofitable, when there is “not one that doeth good, no, not one.” Every expression in the psalm should be critically examined: they are all “gone aside;” they are all together become “filthy,” “stinking,” “corrupt,” etc. There is a marvellous variety of words in the Hebrew for moral corruption. Nowhere in the whole world was the sense of sin, as sin, so deep as among the Hebrews. How was this? It will be seen how it was when we study our second question.

II. WHEN AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE DID THE LORD LOOK DOWN ON THIS MASS OF EVIL? The meaning of the psalmist could not go beyond the range of his inspiration and enlightenment. We live in a later age; the light is brighter now than then; and therefore the preacher will fall short alike of his privileges and of his mission, if he does not open up from this point more truth than it was possible for the psalmist to know.

1. In an early stage of the world, God looked down on it to punish its iniquity. The Deluge. Sodom and Gomorrah. The desolations which have come on Egypt, Babylon, Tyro, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Philistia, Jerusalem. And when great calamities come, the most irreligious men become the greatest cowards. “There were they in great fear, where no fear was.”

2. God looked on the wickedness of the sons of men, and resolved to call out therefrom a people for himself. (Cf. Isa 51:1, Isa 51:2, Hebrew.) God called Abraham; and how his people became a family, a tribe, and a nation, the roll of sacred history records. And it is owing to this that the psalmist refers to “the generation of the righteous” (verse 5), in distinction from “the children of men” (verse 2). Hence it is and has ever been the case, that, however prevalent the depravity of men may have become, there have ever been some trusting hearts who have found their refuge in God.

3. God instituted a priesthood and sacrifices to instruct his people in the dread evil of sin. The whole Levitical institute means this, and nothing less than this. The Law was a “child-guide,” which took men to school, and taught them that nothing was right with men till they were right with God.

4. God established a prophetic order, which should declaim against sin. (See Isa 59:1-20, specially the fifteenth verse.) The mission of all the prophets was to speak for God, and uphold his claims before the people. And as they prophesied, God’s treatment of the world’s sin was being unfolded, as we see in the chapter from Isaiah to which we have just referred.

5. In the fulness of the times, God sent forth his Son, who by his death should atone for sin, and who by his Spirit should conquer sin. This, then, is like a God. We might have expected, from the psalmist’s words, that God would take vengeance on the sinner and crush him. But no. He is a just God and a Saviour; condemning sin and saving the sinner (Rom 3:1-31.).

6. God has created in the hearts of his own a yearning after salvation and righteousness, which is in itself a prophecy of God’s ultimate triumph over sin, and of a time when the anguish of his people shall give place to joy (verse 7)! These desires of the holy are prophetic germs. The aspiration in the closing verse of the psalm is one the fulfilment of which has been going on ever since, and will, till the Redeemer who has come out of Zion shall have completed his saving work.C.

HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH

Psa 14:1-7

Right views of God’s government.

I. In considering God’s moral government of the world, we should be careful to TAKE THE RIGHT STANDPOINT. Much depends on the way we look at things. We may be too near or too far off; we may lean too much to the one side or to the other. Here the standpoint is not earth, but “heaven.” This is the perfect state. Here we take our place by the side of God, and look at things in the light of his truth. If we have the Spirit of Christ, the true Son of man, then, though on earth, we shall yet be “in heaven” (Joh 3:13).

II. Another thing is that we should have regard to the TRUE STANDARD OF JUDGMENT. (Psa 14:2.) Much is being done to find out about the people who lived in the ages that are past; but we have to do more with the present day. Wise governments make inquiry as to population and the condition of the peoplematerially, intellectually, and socially. Here God is represented as holding inquest, and the chief concern is as to the moral condition of men. Religion is put first. If men are fight with God, then all is right. The standard by which things are measured is the Law of God. How do men stand to God? Do they believe in God? What is the state of their mind and affections with reference to God? “To see if there be any that understand, and seek God.” It is not what other men think of us, nor is it what we think of ourselves, that is of importance, but the supreme thing is what God thinks of us.

III. We are thus led to apprehend THE JUST RETRIBUTION IMPENDING. (Psa 14:2-6.) Life presents a varied aspect. But when we look at it in the light of God, society divides itself into two great partiesthe wicked and the righteous.

1. There is marked diversity of character. Contrasted with the righteous”my people,” as God calls them in his love and grace there are the multitude who have gone aside, and who have waxed worse and worse, in their corruption and ungodly deeds. In this psalm there is something like a climax. In Psa 10:1-18. we have the ungodly, or fool, hugging himself in his fancied security, and saying, “I shall not be moved.” Then in Psa 11:1-7. there is an advance to a bold denial of God’s omniscience and justice: “The foundations are destroyed.” Then in Psa 12:1-8. there is a further and still more fearful stride, in daring defiance of God: “Our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?” From this it is but a step to sit down “in the seat of the scornful,” and to cry out in derision, “There is no God!”

2. But as there is diversity of character, so there will also be diversity of retribution. Judgment will be according to righteousness. Reason is appealed to (Psa 12:4). In wonder and pity, the question is asked, “Are they so senseless as not to see the consequences of their own wrong-doing?” But their stupidity and stubbornness will not stop the progress of events. Conscience is also appealed to (Psa 12:5). The term “there” brings the scene before us with the vividness of a picture. We see these wicked men “there” in their places; “there,” in the midst of their works and their pleasures; “there,” where they are priding themselves on their strength and their conquests; and “there” the hand of God seizes them, and they are stricken with terror (Le 26:36). And what conscience confesses, experience confirms (Psa 12:6). The uneasy sense, that, after all, God is on the side of the righteous, causes fear, and events are continually occurring which go to prove that the fear is well-grounded. The nearer we come to God, the fuller our sympathy with God, the more complete our trust in God, the better shall we be able to judge as to God’s doings. In God’s light we shall see light. God’s interest in man will be clear; God’s holy grief because of the folly and wickedness of man, will be evident; and bright and enlivening as the outshining of the sun from the midst of clouds and darkness will be the love of God for his people, and his tender and abiding care of them through all the vicissitudes of their earthly life. The wicked dishonour God by their distrust and their scorn. Let us honour God by our faith in his eternal love and goodness, and by our unceasing prayer that his salvation may come to all nations. “Alleluia! Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God!”W.F.

HOMILIES BY C. SHORT

Psa 14:1-7

Conflict between God and the wicked.

The psalmist beans by lamenting the extent and the power of the atheism which reigns among men (Psa 14:1-3). But the righteous who have to suffer much on account of it, must not therefore despair; fools shall certainly bring destruction upon themselves (Psa 14:4-6). He closes with the prayer that God would send deliverance to his people (Psa 14:7).

I. ATHEISM. (Psa 14:1-3.)

1. Atheism in the thought and in the desires. (Psa 14:1.) The “heart” in the Old Testament is not only the seat of desire, but of thought also. But it is more easy for a bad man to wish there were no God, than honestly to think it.

2. Atheism in conduct. This is described under a positive and negative aspect. Corrupt conductthey are gone away from the right path into every wrong way; especially they prey upon the righteous as they would eat bread; i.e. it is as natural for them to be cruel and unjust towards them as it is to eat bread. They have tried to defeat the counsels of the poor. The negative aspect is that not any of them did good, nor did they seek God or call upon the Lord. God was wholly shut out of their lives and thoughts.

II. THE INCREDIBLE IGNORANCE OF ATHEISM. The “fool” hath said. “The fool” expresses the climax of imbecility. “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,” etc.?

1. He is ignorant of God‘s all-seeing scrutiny of the human race. (Psa 14:2.) In Gen 11:5 it is said, “The Lord came down from heaven, to see the city and the tower,” etc. Men from a very early period have had this thought of God’s perfect knowledge of human affairs.

2. They have had experiences which filled them with great fear. (Gen 11:5.) God was in the righteous generation; where they thought themselves safe, there they began suddenly to be afraid. The discourse here is of Divine judgments actually inflicted.

3. They have been frustrated in their best-laid plans. (Gen 11:6.) “Whatsoever the pious man plans to do for the glory of God, the children of the world seek to frustrate; but in the final issue their attempt is futile; for Jehovah is his Refuge.” This is the meaning; and their defeat should have taught them who was on the side of the righteous.

III. THE PRAYER SPRINGING OUT OF THIS CONFLICT BETWEEN GOD AND THE WICKED. (Gen 11:7.) Prayer for the speedy deliverance of God’s people. This is the perpetual cry of the Church.S.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Psalms 14.

David describeth the corruption of a natural man: he convinceth the wicked by the light of their conscience: he glorieth in the salvation of God.

To the chief musician. A Psalm of David.

Title. lamnatseach ledavid. This Psalm is thought to have been composed by David upon the almost total defection of his people to Absalom. The 5th verse seems strongly to mark this circumstance. See 2Sa 17:8; 2Sa 17:29. Mr. Mudge however observes, that it appears from the last verse, that this Psalm was composed during the captivity, and from the 4th and 5th verses, that it arose from a particular incident, where the heathens, in the midst of their carousing, without any sense of God, or acknowledgment of his goodness, were somehow put into a great fright (where there were no human grounds for fear, as the 52nd Psalm adds). This seems to point out the feast of Belshazzar; where the utmost loose was given to impiety; the sacred vessels, purely in defiance, being employed to promote their debauchery; and where they were frightened indeed in a manner wholly supernatural.

Psa 14:1. The fool By the fool is here meant the pagan: It is thus that Job 30:8 calls the heathenish Cutheans, children of fools; that is, of Gentile extraction. In eminent calamity it was in the early ages a pagan practice, not only to call in question the existence of their deities, but likewise to prosecute them with the most dreadful curses and imprecations. The Jews, fond of imbibing the customs of their pagan neighbours, seem to have enfranchised this among others. In the simplicity of early ages, when men were at their ease, that general opinion, so congenial to the human mind, of a God and his moral government, was so strong as never to be brought into question. It was when they found themselves in distress and misery, whether in public or private life, that they began to complain, to question the justice, or deny the existence of Providence. Thus far Bishop Warburton. Others however imagine, that by the word fool, both here and in Psalms 53 libertines, and profane persons in general, are denoted, whose minds were depraved by the viciousness of their hearts. Thus the Platonists styled all wicked men fools, though they seemed to themselves to be very wise. It appears from the 5th verse, in which the Psalmist intimates concerning these fools that they did not call upon God, that their crime was not direct atheism, but an irreligious disposition, proceeding from a fond imagination that God exerted no moral government upon earth.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psalms 14

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David

1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

They are corrupt, they have done abominable works,

There is none that doeth good.

2The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there were any that did understand,

And seek God.

3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:

There is none that doeth good,

No, not one.

4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And call not upon the Lord.

5There were they in great fear:

For God is in the generation of the righteous.

6Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor,

Because the Lord is his refuge.

7Oh 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.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Its Character and Composition.The previous Psalm gave expression to a vow of thankful, heartfelt joy on account of the deliverance from the danger to his life which he had entreated. In Psa 14:7 of this Psalm all the people are summoned, with the assurance of compliance (the future is used as a jussive), to rejoice over future deliverance from threatening ruin, anxiously longed for; and this springs from a description of the religious decline and moral corruption prevailing among men. In this respect this Psalm has a similar subject to Psalm 12.9 Of course we cannot derive from this fact, that these Psalms were surely composed by the same author, and Psa 14:7 might seem to imply a later time. Most recent interpreters since Venema actually refer to the captivity at Babylon, Hitzig, at the same time, to the prophet Jeremiah as the author; Olsh. descends to the Maccabean period, whilst Paulus (Clavis) refers Psa 14:5 to Sennacherib, and with Theodoret regards Isaiah as the author. The interpretation will show that Psa 14:7 b is not decisive against David, but rather in connection with other statements in the Psalm, confirms its prophetic and didactic character, which in the wider sense may be called Messianic. Psalms 53 is likewise in favor of a more ancient time, as it deviates from this Psalm in a few, yet very significant, turns of thought.10

It is uncertain whether all of the seven strophes were originally of three members (Delitzsch) and Psa 14:5-6 have been mutilated; yet this is probable. [Perowne: In form the ode is dramatic, or quasi-dramatic. A great tragedy is enacting before the eyes of the poet. Sin is lifting itself up in Titanic madness against God, and God looks down upon its doings as once upon the builders of Babel. He sees utter apostasy (Psa 14:3); He speaks from heaven (Psa 14:4), and the evil-doers are confounded at the word of His mouth (Psa 14:5). It would scarcely be possible, says Ewald, for a great truth to be sketched in fewer or more striking outlines.C. A. B.]

Str. I. Psa 14:1. Fool.The etymology of nabal leads to the idea of withered and without sap; usage, to spiritual dullness, barrenness and worthlessness (Isa 32:5-6) in contrast with the religious freshness and moral ability of the truly wise man. The expression does not refer to intellectual weakness.11 The perfects in the first five verses do not force us to a purely historical interpretation (Baur, Hitzig, et al.), whether we leave the person undetermined or think of Nebuchadnezzar, Sennacherib and the Assyrians, or find here the proper name Nabal (the husband of Abigail). They are clauses expressing experience, which present the thoughts of the fool, how he manifests himself constantly and everywhere. [The A. V. needs correction here, it should read not; the fool hath said; but the fool saith in his heart. Hupf., It is the secret thought and delusion of his heart.It is likewise not exactly a fixed theory or an understood and conscious opinion, but a disposition which put itself in practice and is inferred therefrom, even if it does not say any thing: an Atheism of heart and life.C. A. B.]Corrupt, abominable, they make their doings.The two verbs placed alongside of one another, without a connecting particle, intensify the idea of badness which is not necessarily contained in the noun. The plural shows that the author, from the beginning, had in mind, not an individual fool, who was to be regarded as an exception; but he first gives the characteristics of the class, then describes the conduct of individuals belonging to it. The first verb awakens a sad remembrance to those acquainted with the Scriptures; for the same word appears first in Gen 6:5; Gen 6:12, in the description of the corruption which preceded the flood, and is frequently used in the Scriptures to designate the apostasies of the Israelites from the living God and the sacred ordinances of His covenant which so frequently occur (Exo 32:7; Deu 31:29; Deu 32:5; Jdg 2:19). The transition is thus prepared in the soul for that which follows.

Str. II. Psa 14:2. Looked down.Literally bowed Himself over; indicating zealous and intense looking in order to a closer examination, 2Ki 9:10; often used of God, for the first time Gen 11:5; Gen 18:21, in the history of the tower of Babel. These as well as the references to early history previously mentioned, which Grotius already observed, need not mislead us to limit the expressions used here to these particular events. But they turn our thoughts in this direction: that we need not trouble ourselves with the refutation of fools, for God has practically provided for this long ago. This retrospect of history with its disclosure of human corruption and Divine judgments sets before our eyes the follies of the present, partly in their connection with universal sin, partly with the assurance of Divine condemnation. The former point of view is not properly estimated, if with Delitzsch we merely accept the perfect sense in so far as the result of Gods looking about recognizes this looking about itself as an act which has already transpired; the latter point of view is obscured, if this looking about is regarded as a poetical figure, by which the Psalmist impresses upon his own judgment the seal of Divine approval; both points of view vanish together, if the contents of the judgment passed in consequence of this Divine examination which is mentioned, are essentially weakened as well with reference to their meaning as their credibility by accepting a hyperbolic form of expression (Hupf., following Gataker).

Children of men.Literally, sons of Adam. This expression does not designate the ungodly as such (Knapp et al. with reference to Gen 6:2), or the heathen (De Wette), or the fools previously mentioned, as a specially profligate class of men (Gataker), or the same in their general character as men and subject to the consideration of God (Hupf.); but men as a body, as the posterity of Adam, yet not as fools (Geier), but in their character as members of a fallen race (Calv., J. H. Mich., Stier).

Str. III. Psa 14:3. All.The totality as well as the universality of human corruption is stated in the strongest language, and first of all, as having gone aside from the right way, and then it is defined by a word which originally was used for physical corruption, especially of the souring of milk in the Arabic, but likewise of moral corruption, Job 15:16.If with Maurer we regard the which begins the clause as a particle of interrogation, as Psa 14:2; Psa 14:4, to which likewise G. Baur is inclined, then it would be advisable, with Ewald, to have the words of Jehovah begin here, which Hitzig, Delitzsch, et al. regard as beginning with Psa 14:4. But without regard to the fact that it is not at all necessary to regard Jehovah as speaking, this supposition would not give us an expression of the judgment of the Omniscient God, but would merely continue the figure of speech, in accordance with which He has made an investigation. The is therefore to be regarded as an article=the all, the totality, as Psa 49:17; Dan 11:2; comp. Ewald (Lehrbuch, 286 a).

It is noteworthy that there is not here a statement of a doctrine, but the mention of a fact, that this moreover makes the moral condemnation of the entire world as an actual result of Gods looking about. The Sept. has already regarded this result not as a solitary fact, limited to a certain period, but has taken up into the text passages with similar subjects from Psa 5:9; Psa 10:7; Psa 36:1; Psa 140:4; Isa 59:7-8 (in the margin of the Cod. Vatic.), which reappear in the citation Rom 3:10-12, and have found their way into the Arab. and Vulg. translations of our Psalm. [Likewise in the English Prayer-book version.C. A. B.]. In the Hebrew this addition is found only in codd. 649, apparently as a translation back into Hebrew by a Christian who would justify the citation of the Apostle (De Rossi and Rosenm. against Kimchi, who maintains its authenticity). The Church has sufficient biblical support for its doctrine of human corruption by connecting several other passages of the Bible with this. However, the interpreters of former times have not sufficiently distinguished from the facts mentioned here, the conclusions drawn therefrom and their dogmatic use.

Str. IV. Psa 14:4. Have all the workers of iniquity no experience? [A. V., knowledge].Hitzig, who previously translated it: are they out of their wits? now advocates the translation of the Sept., Vulg., Jerome, as future. This presupposes the pointing of the imperf., which is found in some codd., and gives an admissible sense, if it is regarded as the threatening of the judgment in which the workers of iniquity are to be actually assured of the reality and of the activity of the God whom they have denied and disregarded. But the perfect of the present text is much more suitable to the connection of the discourse (Hupf.), as it refers back to the judgment which God has already constantly and impartially executed in history upon the persons of all evil-doers. But the character of the question as threatening and warning, is weakened into a tone of involuntary astonishment at the blindness and security of evil-doers, if, with Geier, Hengst., et al. [A. V.], we explain: know=do not reflect upon it. Moreover the all does not agree with this. The reference cannot be at all to correct knowledge (Clauss). However, it is admissible to connect the verb with the negative into one idea=are then without understanding? (Ewald), unreasonable? (Delitzsch). But with our interpretation the advance in thought is clearer. For after mentioning that God looks about and examines critically we would expect a reference to the Divine judgment, and indeed not to human opinions or feelings respecting this judgment, but to what it had already accomplished in history. The context, moreover, leads to a statement of Divine acts and not of human actions. Since now the form of the question with does not show any uncertainty at all, or lead to something that is yet to be inquired after, but on the contrary expresses in the strongest terms the utmost certainty, the question thus gains together with its threatening and warning character at the same time a triumphant tone, and then forms a suitable transition to that which follows.

Eat up my people.It follows from Mic 3:3; Isa 3:12, that the mention of My does not necessarily imply the words of Jehovah. [However, it is more natural and better, with Ewald, Delitzsch, et al., to regard Jehovah as speaking. It is more in keeping with the dramatic character of the entire Psalm.C. A. B.]. There has been no previous reference to foreign enemies, or to wars in which the Israelites were consumed, or to any external events at all, but to moral and religious relations, yet such as occur in history and in Israel. The ancient translations and most interpreters find stated here by the comparison, the manner of eating up the people, as they eat bread. The ungodly regard it as their natural business to eat up the people. This interpretation is not without grammatical objections, so that Hitzig takes refuge in the supposition of a transposition of letters, which is recommended indeed by analogies, and reads instead of . But the figure is favored by the frequency of its use in the prophets, where it is still further carried out, and by the difficulty of finding any other acceptable sense. For the interpretation of Luther which has been revived by Clauss, does not at all suit the construction of the clause, in accordance with which the devouring of the people affords the means of support for the ungodly. Moreover, to eat bread cannot mean to live well (J. H. Mich.); also not to live unpunished (Cocc.); but generally to support themselves. Now if this is in contrast with what follows, the reference might be to a neglect of prayer at the table (Chald., L. de Dieu). This, however, is not suitable here. So, likewise, hardly the idea of living securely therein, as an animal (Hupf.) in which the physical life would be nourished, but the spiritual life remain without nourishment. Though this thought is appropriate it has very little support in the words as such.

Str. V. Psa 14:5. There.This does not mean the same place where the crime is committed and the condemnation is received (Aben Ezra, Kimchi), or where they should recognize God and call upon Him (Clauss), so also not the place of future judgment (Flamin., Calvin, Hengst., Stier), although is properly a designation of place, for it can likewise be used for a space of time (Psa 66:6; Pro 6:27), and even of the future (Zep 1:14; Job 23:7), with which reference the prophetic perfects would then show the certainty of punishment (Psa 36:12; Psa 132:17, Hos 2:17). Still less are we to think of a place of judgment within man, of the conscience (Geier), although means as well the anxiety before possible disaster, as terror on account of real disaster, and indeed both, in so far as they are made by God to impend over them as punishment for sin. The context demands the latter interpretation. The juxtaposition of the same word as noun and verb (so also Isa 24:7)=frighten a fright, is so much the more picturesque as this word, Prov. 2:26, 3:25; comp. Pro 6:15, has the secondary idea of suddenly and unexpectedly. The Psalmist refers to the Divine punishment historically fulfilled (Hupf., only too narrowly to the occurrence at the Exodus from Egypt) in the closest connection with the description Psa 14:2 sq., especially Psa 14:4. is used with a similar general reference Job 35:12. Delitzsch translates: There they shudder shuddering, and explains: then when God will speak to them in His wrath, as Psa 14:4 is adduced as from His mouth, then His word, which never fails of effect, thunders down upon that inhuman person who is without knowledge and conscience.

For God is in the generation of the righteous.This gives the reason of the terrors of judgment which break in upon those who oppress and devour the people of God The contrast, that God is not with the ungodly (Clauss), is a matter of course, yet it is not here expressed. Moreover, the clause does not, as is generally supposed, make the historical fact prominent, that Jehovah dwelleth in the midst of His people, protects and governs them and brings about their complete victory over their enemies. In contrast with the thoughts of the fool, ver 1, he expresses the religious truth, that Elohim declares Himself on earth, in the generation of the righteous. The latter is likewise not a historical but an ethical idea, and does not coincide entirely with that of the people of Israel, among whom the righteous were present only as individuals (Gen 7:1) by their generations (Gen 6:9), yet who hinder the ruin of the whole and are the means of saving the people.

Str. VI. Psa 14:6. You may shame the counsel of the oppressed; [in vain]For Jehovah is his refuge.The counsel, that is all the counsel which he had agreed upon with himself. Most interpreters think particularly of the plan proposed by him to deliver himself from his oppressors. The contents of his counsel might be given in the following members of the verse with that [A. V because] (Aben Ezra, Calvin, Stier, Hitzig). However, the translation but (Luther et al.) is inadmissible. But the preceding verb does not agree with this, whether we regard the imperfect as present or future, or, as is often the case, imperative. For does not mean in the Hiphil, to scoff (the ancient interpreters), but to cause to blush, or actively to disgrace. If, therefore, we must translate for, it is necessary at the same time to suppose that the clause which states the cause has fallen out, and thus the former tristich has been shortened, or we must supply a short clause something like: to no purpose; or, in vain (Hupf., De Wette, Hengst., Delitzsch). Ewald translates: the design against the afflicted you will see to be in vain; previously he translated in your design with reference to the afflicted will you blush because, etc.

Str. VII. Psa 14:7. Who will give out of Zion [A. V., O thatwere come out of Zion]What a contrast this expression makes with Psa 14:2! And how clearly he shows that he does not refer to help against external violence of foreign enemies, by the Divine power, but to deliverance by demonstrations of grace in connection with the historical institutions of salvation. The question in the anxious prayer of the oppressed, containing the desire for redemption, presupposes that Jehovah dwells in Zion, and that His sanctuary is standing in Jerusalem, but at the same time it explains its approach with reference to a hindrance which is still to be set aside. Such a hindrance is not the external distance of the Psalmist from Jerusalem, say, during the rebellion of Absalom (Grotius), but his sins which were not yet entirely expiated. The shining forth of the Messianic thought in this passage is overlooked, for this reason especially, that, in the usual form of resolving the question in the optative: O that He were come, which is certainly possible (Psa 55:7, Jer 9:1), the person acting retires to the background before the deliverance which is desired and the time when it is longed for This is in direct contradiction to the text.

The universality and partial indefiniteness and breadth of the Messianic hope which is active here, leads to that former time, to which the other expression of the verse likewise refers. For Zion was indeed for all periods the consecrated place for the hope of Israel, whither believers, wherever they might be, turned their faces in prayer, according to 2 Kings 8:29, 44 This is likewise mentioned with emphasis Dan 6:10, as a characteristic of the true faith of this prophet residing at Babylon. But no prophet ever expected or prayed for help from destroyed Zion. The prophets describe rather the gracious turning again of Jehovah to His penitent people in exile, His going with them and before them in leading them back to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city and temple under His protection. The question before us, however, does not in the least resemble this. And what is there that compels us to think of the return from the captivity at Babylon? At least not the expression in itself or because it became afterwards the standing expression for this deliverance? This would be a pure petitio principii. For the same expression occurs already in Joe 3:1; Amo 9:14; Hos 6:11 (Psa 7:1).12 Then it were much more natural to think of the time of the Assyrian calamity which fell upon the kingdom of Israel, on account of the deliverance out of Zion which is prayed for But this is prevented by the closing clause, in which Jacob=Israel is called upon to rejoice, but not Judah and Israel. But this expression does not at all mean merely: turning back from captivity in war, which then leads to the meaning of: bringing back prisoners of war, but it is used figuratively for the turning of an unhappy condition into a restoration to former prosperity in general, Eze 16:53, even in private affairs, Job 42:10. With the frequent use in the New Testament of the expressions: bonds, imprisonment, etc., in a figurative sense, the assertion that the figurative use of the above formula leads necessarily to a later origin, is so much the more arbitrary and unreasonable, as the abode in Egypt with its experience fell under the same point of view, Deu 30:3 (Clauss, Stier). Already the more ancient interpreters have therefore, after the Rabbins, partly explained this passage as Messianic, partly understood it directly of the spiritual deliverance of the people of God, which then was applied to the deliverance of the Church from its Babylon or from its servitude in Egypt (Calv.). Even Hitzig refers the expression, which occurs likewise figuratively Jer 30:18, at least to the turning away of misfortune. Hengst. finds expressed by the language, Gods gracious turning to the distress of His people, whilst he maintains the intransitive meaning of , as being the only allowable meaning (Beitr. II. 104). But the transitive meaning is made certain by Psa 85:5; Neh 2:2; beyond question by Eze 47:7. Hengst. has very properly taken back his previous view (Beitr. I. 142), that the closing verse is a later liturgical addition (Rosenm.). [Alexander: The whole may be paraphrased as follows: O that Jehovah, from His throne in Zion, would grant salvation to His people, by revisiting them in their captive, forsaken state, and that occasion of rejoicing might be thus afforded to the Church!C. A. B.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The doctrine of the corruption of the human race and the help for it. This is the title given by Meyer after Luther, who gives it an appropriate periphrase in the song: Es spricht der Unweisen mund wohl. The denial of God does not always come upon the lips; yet it declares itself as an irreligious disposition in the corruption and worthlessness of a conduct which is worthy of abhorrence. It is not merely an idle or harmless play of thought, or a scientific investigation of the evidences proposed by scholars for the being of God. It is indeed a movement of thought, but that of a heart which has become foolish by turning away from God, Rom 1:21; and it has to do not so much with the theoretical as with the practical reason. Therefore it makes the entire man unfit for good, and it is least of all an evidence of a sound and strong spirit.

2. Men of this kind may indeed regard themselves as wise, praise one another, and feel strong and safe in the world; but God knows, condemns, and rejects them and their doings, and He has long since declared to those who wait upon Him, how it stands with them, Rom 1:22.They are condemned already, before they are cast out as reprobates.

3. Moreover God troubles Himself with those who do not trouble themselves about Him; He inquires after those who make no inquiry for Him; He is the invisible witness (Gen 31:50) and the Judge, who cannot be bribed, of all their doings as well as the sins and thoughts of their hearts. But He brings forward the evidence of His being and His work, not theoretically, but practically as Judge, Avenger, and Saviour. His speaking is likewise an act; His revelation is history.

4. No man, however, should feel secure or raised above others. For by the history of revelation, that light has come into the world, which condemns the world (Joh 3:19), and discloses the individual as well as the whole race according to the Divine judgment, as lying in common corruption in consequence of their nature as children of Adam, in accordance with which that which is born of the flesh, bears in itself all the characters of the (Joh 3:6).

5. The same light shows likewise that there is a righteous generation on earth. The recognition of this fact does not contradict the statement of the total corruption of the children of Adam, embracing all without exception. For the righteous generation consists not of a little band of men who have remained exempt from sin and its corruption, whom God somehow has overlooked, when He looked about, because they stood in a corner, or because they are not brought into consideration on account of their small number in comparison with the awful corruption of the masses. To this class belong rather those men in the midst of the generation of the children of Adam, who have been born again as children of God of incorruptible seed, who by this change of their inborn nature form a peculiar class in the midst of the generation of men, and afford the seed of regeneration for the entire people.

6. It is one and the same God, the holy God of revelation, who has made known from heaven, by the mouth of His prophets, the actual result of His investigation of the children of men, as a warning, and has called our attention by them, with so much earnestness to the actual answer which He gives by His life and work, in the generation of the righteous on earth, to the ungodly, who as fools do not trouble themselves with His works and deny His being and life.

7. There is moreover no reason here to diminish by any limitation the weight of the declaration respecting the extent, depth, and punishableness of human corruption. He says at first all, then together, thirdly, there is likewise not a single one. Luther. The judgment respecting the condition of man is not an exaggeration, which easily escapes from the bitterness of the lamentation and feelings; and as a poetical figure to be reckoned to the account of the poet. The poet, who speaks here, is not fanciful, he is not so much a poet as a prophet. Therefore his description is not the gloomy reflection of a gloomy disposition, the night idea of a darkened contemplation of the world, but it has the value of a declaration of revelation, whether it bases itself on previous testimonies of Scripture, or is to be directly referred to the enlightenment by the Spirit of God.

8. All fools are indeed sinners, but all sinners are not such fools that they deny the being of God. His judgment and revelation, or regard them as of no account. And many who previously did this, have repented when they experienced what this all meant. They have first been terrified when they have not expected it. There is however not only a terror unto death under the storms of Divine wrath, so also not only the impending terror of the last judgment; there is likewise a terror unto repentance, by which the sinner is awakened unto life. This happens particularly, when the ungodly, who previously have not cared for the Divine agency, are surprised by the victorious word, and the overpowering act coming forth from the generation of the righteous.

9. The ungodly as such eat up the people of God. They use them as far as they can to make room for themselves in the world. Whatever does not readily applaud them, is regarded as a booty given over to them. For they do not inquire after God, and the destruction of His people is as natural to them, as much in accordance with their wishes, and as much a matter of course, as the eating of their daily bread. It is true that there is in history a provision for the people of God; but where does such an one exist, which is able to realize its Divine destiny of being a holy people? Therefore evil doers think that they are justified and entitled to carry on their work of destruction. But so long as the members of the generation of the righteous, be they few or many, are in one people, the Lord does not suffer it to be destroyed, but brings His terror over the enemies of Himself and His children.

10. But all those who are oppressed must take refuge with the Lord if they would attain salvation. For the resolutions, projects, plans, and devices of the individual, even the best of them, may be brought to shame by the violence of evil doers; not so Gods resolutions and undertakings. He who trusts, hopes, and waits on these will not be ashamed. The world moreover can no more prevent the prayer from pressing up into the heart of God, than it can prevent the flow of Divine consolations and refreshment into the soul of the oppressed, if these truly turn from the world to God.

11. But the relation between God and the soul may be very different from this. And the last to forget it is the prayerful sufferer, whose lips have testified respecting the universal corruption of the children of men, and have confessed the communion of God with the generation of the righteous. He is able to rejoice that his people before all others has received the historical call to be the people of God, and that there are sanctuaries and Divine services in the congregation; but his soul is troubled, because even among his people no generation has ever fulfilled its destiny so as to be a righteous generation; and that the history of His people is rather a constant witness of its apostasy from God, who turned towards them ever with new revelations, and that this repeated itself in every generation. And although he may sigh, that his people have fallen into afflictions and trouble through Divine judgment, yet he experiences the severest affliction in the burden of guilt, and the worst servitude under the dominion of sin.

12. Moreover true deliverance cannot consist in a change of external relations. Therefore a turning to the institutions of salvation established by God, and the desire for the means of grace ordained by God is the sign of the beginning of a turning towards salvation. But salvation itself comes only when the Saviour comes, who brings the acceptable time of the gracious turning of God to redemption. Before His coming there is nothing but inquiry, sighing, longing, and among believers, hope in the gospel and its joys.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Denial of God is a folly, but of a dangerous character.Whatever fills the heart expresses itself in the life even without words.God Himself conducts the actual proof of His own being by acts of judgment and demonstrations of grace which run through the whole of history to warn and to comfort.Inborn corruption and inherited guilt do not excuse the sinner, but rather set in a dreadful light the consequences of apostasy from God.He who does not believe in God cares not for men.In the corrupt world there are many people who are lost, yet there is likewise a righteous generation, in which God lives, works, and condemns the workers of iniquity.At times those who deny God and the workers of iniquity are greatly frightened when they perceive the revelations of the Divine life in the generation of the righteous, but they seldom change their disposition or improve their conduct, no more than they do after the experience of the mighty deeds and judgments of the Almighty.There is a salutary and a wicked terror on account of the Divine revelations of judgment; the former leads to desire for deliverance from the servitude of sin; the latter begets stubbornness towards Divine and human justice.The deliverance of the race of man, fallen in Adam, from universal and entire ruin, is prepared by the institutions of grace which God has established in Israel, but even in the people of Israel it is expected in the future.

Starke: Human corruption is so deep and unfathomable that many believe in no God or deny His providence and government.He who does not inquire after God from the heart, as the only source of all good, still remains in the old nature, and lies under the curse and wrath of God. For to be wise and to inquire after God are here together.Behold thyself in this mirror, O man, as often as pharisaical pride attacks thee; but what does it matter, the proud peacocks feathers will soon bend to the earth.The blessed fruit of redemption is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal joy; here in foretaste, there in perfection.

Osiander: This is the difference among men that although we are all sinners by nature, yet some are justified by faith and endowed with the Holy Spirit, and serve God in faith, whilst others remain ungodly.Franke: We must observe principally two things: firstly, our misery, in which we all lie by nature; secondly, the grace which is bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus our Saviour.Frisch: The reason of all evil is natural blindness and folly; thence arises doubt of the Divine government and providence; and then man falls into security, so that he lives therein, as if there were no God in heaven.God must be sought as the highest good which has been lost by sin.If the heart has departed from God it has departed from blessing, and lies under the curse; it has departed from light and lies in darkness; it has departed from life and lies in death; it has departed from heaven and belongs in hell.Stiller: Sin not only passes upon all men, but likewise passes through the entire man.Diedrich: If we live in God, we look upon all things from Gods point of view, and, looking from Him, regard this world as entirely different from what it usually appears.

[Matth. Henry: If we apply our hearts as Solomon did, Ecc 7:26, to search out the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness, these verses will assist us in the search, and will show us sin exceeding sinful. Sin is the disease of mankind, and it appears here to be malignant and epidemical.Those that banter religion and religious people, will find to their cost, it is ill jesting with edged tools, and dangerous persecuting those that make God their refuge.Barnes: As a matter of fact, the belief that there is no God is commonly founded on the desire to lead a wicked life; or, the opinion that there is no God is embraced by those who in fact lead such a life, with a desire to sustain themselves in their depravity, and to avoid the fear of future retribution,Spurgeon: The Atheist is the fool pre-eminently, and a fool universally. He would not deny God if he were not a fool by nature, and having denied God it is no marvel that he becomes a fool in practice. Sin is always folly, and as it is the height of sin to attack the very existence of the Most High, so is it also the greatest imaginable folly. To say there is no God is to belie the plainest evidence, which is obstinacy; to oppose the common consent of mankind, which is stupidity; to stifle consciousness, which is wickedness.C. A. B.]

Footnotes:

[9][Perowne: The singer, keenly alive to the evils of his time, sees everything in the blackest colors. The apostasy is so wide-spread that all are involved in it, except the small remnant (implied in Psa 14:4); and the world seems again ripe for judgment as in the days of Noah (Psa 14:2). Both in this Psalm and in Psalms 12 the complaint is made that the wicked oppress and devour the righteous. In both, corruption has risen to its most gigantic height, but here the doings of bad men, there their words, form the chief subject of complaint.C. A. B.]

[10][That there should be two Psalms in the collection so similar as Psalms 14, 53 is in itself remarkable. The deviations, few though they are, are likewise remarkable. Were it not for Psa 14:7 of Psalms 14 the Davidic authorship would be unquestionable. And it seems more natural to apply this expression to the longing of the exiles at Babylon (Ewald, De Wette, Hupf., et al.). It might be a later liturgical addition, so far as Psalms 14 is concerned, or rather the original Psa 14:1-6 was, by a few alterations and additions, adapted to the circumstances of the exile, and given as Psalms 53, and very naturally at a later period, Psalms 14 was assimilated by the addition of Psa 14:7. The Psalm is complete in itself certainly without Psa 14:7. This would account for the title of both Psalms, ascribed to David, and used in the temple worship; and at the same time for the occurrence of the same Psalm twice in the collection.C. A. B.]

[11][Perowne: They are those whose understanding is darkened; who, professing themselves to be wise, became fools. Such men, who make a boast of their reason, and would fain walk by the light of their reason, prove how little their reason is worth. The epithet is the more cutting, because persons of this kind generally lay claim to more than ordinary discernment. Barnes: It is designed to convey the idea that wickedness or impiety is essentially folly, or to use a term in describing the wicked which will, perhaps more than any other, make the mind averse to the sinfor there is many a man who would see more in the word fool to be hated than in the word wicked; who would rather be called a sinner than a fool.C. A. B.]

[12][In each of these passages, however, the reference is to the exile foretold by these prophets, a return from which was conditioned on repentance.C. A. B.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

DISCOURSE: 508
THE COMMONNESS AND FOLLY OF ATHEISM

Psa 14:1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

MEN, who judge only by the outward appearance, are apt to entertain a good opinion of themselves: but God, who looketh at the heart, describes the whole race of mankind as immersed in an unfathomable abyss of wickedness [Note: Jer 17:9.]. In confirmation of this melancholy truth we need look no further than to the declaration in the text. It may be thought indeed that the text is spoken only in reference to a few professed infidels: but the words immediately following shew that it relates to many, yea to all mankind; all being gone aside, and none doing good, no not one. Above all, St. Paul, speaking expressly upon the subject of human depravity, appeals to this very passage as decisively establishing that doctrine. [Note: Rom 3:10-12.] In considering the words before us we shall shew,

I.

The atheistical thoughts and desires of the heart

God interprets the thoughts and desires of the heart as though they were expressed in words; and he attests its real language to be like that in the text. It may be understood,

1.

As an assertion

[The name here used for God is not Jehovah, which relates to his essence, but Elohim, which characterizes him as the moral governor of the world. The words therefore must be understood, not as declaring that there is no God, but that there is no God who interferes in human affairs. It is true there are not many, who will deliberately affirm this in plain terms; but, alas! how many are there, whose actions manifest this to be the inward thought of their hearts! If we look around us, we shall see the great mass of mankind living as if there were no superior Being to whom they owed obedience, or to whom they were accountable for their conduct. They inquire constantly whether such or such a line of conduct will tend to their comfort, their honour, or their interest; but how rarely do they examine whether it will please God! How will men gratify in secret, or at least harbour in their bosoms, those lusts, which they could not endure to have exposed to the eye of a fellow-creature, while yet they feel no concern at all about the presence of their God! The language of their hearts is, The Lord seeth us not, he hath forsaken the earth [Note: Eze 8:12.]: How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of the heaven [Note: Job 22:13-14.], ignorant and indifferent about the affairs of men. And as we thus refuse to acknowledge God ourselves, so we do not choose that any others should acknowledge him. Is any one of our companions awed by the fear of God? how ready are we to laugh at his scruples; to propose to him the customs and maxims of the world as more worthy of his regard than the mind and will of God; and to encourage him in the hope, that such compliances shall never be noticed in the day of judgment! And what is this but to use the very language which God imputes to us, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil [Note: Zep 1:12.]?]

2.

As a wish

[The words There is are not in the original, and may therefore be omitted: the text will then stand thus; The fool hath said in his heart, No God! that is, I wish there were none. And how common a wish is this! When men are fully convinced in their minds that God notices every transaction of their lives, and records it in the book of his remembrance, they are still unwilling to give up their lusts, and determined to continue in sin at all events. But are they easy in such a state? No: they shrink back at the prospect of death and judgment, and wish that they could elude the summons that will be given them in the last day. Gladly would they sleep an eternal sleep, and barter their immortality for an exemption from appearing at the tribunal of God. What satisfaction would they feel if they could be certified on unquestionable grounds, that God did not notice their actions, or that, notwithstanding he be the Governor and Judge of all, he hath decreed to bestow on them the favour of annihilation! Instantly they would exclaim, Now I may dismiss my fears; now I may take my fill of pleasure, and drink iniquity like water, without any dread of future consequences. We may appeal to the consciences of all, whether such have not been frequently the thoughts of their hearts, or, at least, whether their dread of death and judgment do not justly admit of this construction?]
Such being the thoughts and desires of the heart, we proceed to shew,

II.

The folly of entertaining them

This will appear in a striking point of view, if we take into consideration the three following truths

1.

The thing wished for is absolutely impossible

[God can no more cease to inspect the ways of men with a view to a final retribution, than he can cease to exist. As his superintending care is necessary for the preservation of the universe, so the continual exercise of his moral government is necessary for the vindication of his own honour. How absurd then is it to indulge a wish, when it is not possible for that wish ever to be gratified, and when the indulging of it makes us act as though it would be gratified! How much better were it to say at once, There is a God, and I must fear him; there is a judgment, and I must prepare for it!]

2.

If the wish could be obtained, it would be an unspeakable injury to all, even in this world

[Men are led, even by the faintest hopes of impunity, to live in sin; and how much more would they yield themselves up to its dominion, if they could once be sure that God would never call them into judgment for it! This, as it respects individuals, would greatly embitter this present life. The gratification of their lusts would indeed afford them a transient pleasure; but who that considers how soon such enjoyments cloy; who that knows how many evils they bring in their train; who that has seen the effects of unbridled passions, of pride, envy, wrath, malice, of lewdness, covetousness, or any other inordinate affection; who that has the least knowledge of these things can doubt, but that sin and misery are indissolubly connected, and that, in proportion as we give the rein to appetite, we undermine our own happiness? And what would be the consequence to the community at large? Men, even now, bite and devour one another like wild beasts, the very instant that God withdraws his restraint from them! Who was it that overruled the purposes of a lewd Abimelech, of a covetous Laban, and of a revengeful Esau? It was God alone: and it is the same God that now keeps the world in any measure of peace and quiet. And if once the world were bereft of his providence, it would instantly resemble that world, where the dispositions of men are suffered to rage without controul, and all incessantly to torment themselves, and all around them. Is it not then the extremest folly to entertain a wish, that would involve in it such tremendous consequences?]

3.

It would be productive of still greater evil as it respects the world to come.

[Doubtless, if there were no moral governor of the universe, there would be no fear of hell; and the thought of this would be a great acquisition to ungodly men. But they, on the other hand, entertain no hope of heaven; their brightest prospect would be annihilation. Melancholy prospect indeed! How much better, even for the most ungodly, to have a God to flee unto; a God to pardon their iniquities; a God to sanctify and renew their souls; a God to bless them with immortality and glory! They need not to wish for the cessation of his agency, or the extinction of their own existence, seeing that he is rich in mercy unto all that call upon him, and ready to receive returning prodigals. And is it not for the interest of all that there should be such a God? Is not the prospect of obtaining his favour, and participating his glory better than annihilation, more especially when the terms of our acceptance with him are so easy? He requires nothing but that we should humble ourselves before him, and plead the merits of his dear Son, and renounce the ways that have been displeasing to him: the very instant we return to him in this manner, he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea, and embrace us with the arms of his mercy. What madness then to wish that there were no such Being!]

Infer,
1.

How great is the patience of God!

[God sees, not one only or even many, but all the world living without God [Note: Eph 2:12.], banishing him from their thoughts [Note: Psa 10:4.], and wishing him banished from the universe: yet he not only bears with them, but follows them with invitations and promises, and waiteth to be gracious unto them Let us stand amazed at his goodness; and let that goodness lead us to repentance ]

2.

How glorious is the change that takes place in conversion!

[Grace no sooner enters into the heart than it slays this enmity, and reconciles the sinner to God. Henceforth it becomes his one desire to walk with God, to enjoy his presence, to fulfil his will, and to live in the near prospect of participating his glory How enviable is such a state! Compare the wisdom of such a state with the folly which we have been exposing And let us instantly begin to live, as we shall wish we had lived, when we come to die.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

CONTENTS

This Psalm comes home recommended from the comment the Holy Ghost was pleased to make of it, by the Apostle Paul. Rom 3:10 . The principal subjects of it are; The universal sin of man; his enmity against God; and the prophet’s prayer in consequence, that salvation would speedily arise out of Zion.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Psa 14:1

What an awful state is man reduced to by the Fall! Here we read that the foolish man saith in his heart, There is no God: and in the world we see how foolish men come forth to say it by their actions. Alas! what is man by nature?

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The Unbelief of the Fool

Psa 14:1

I. The fool of the Scripture is a man who has fallen away, little by little, degree by degree, until he is a degraded man. A fool is a vile man, morally degenerate. Here then is the full force of my text the man who says with an air of laughing and self-satisfied triumph ‘There is no God,’ is a vile man; at his heart there is moral rottenness; he is a fool! Why does the vile man say ‘there is no God’? Because that is what the vile man wished to believe. The wish was ‘father to the thought’. The tendency of sin is to make for unbelief, and much presumptuous scepticism may be traced to the violation of the moral law of God.

II. I do not wish to say that the fool arrives at his savage unbelief in a day. There are intermediate stages in this path of moral and spiritual degradation. Have we ever sufficiently marked that suggestive conjunction in the book of Isaiah where the sins of Israel are named and deplored, and where, after their rebellious acts have been all declared, God says, ‘And thou hast been weary of me, O Israel’? One followed as the consequence of the other. A man becomes possessed of this feeling of religious weariness. His prayers are just long yawns. Then he begins to sceptically inquire about the use of prayer. A decision is easily reached that for him at any rate there is no use in prayer. But he cannot stop there. He needs must justify himself, and he finds the amplest and most comfortable justification in the more general statement that all prayer is useless. A man who has lost all belief in prayer to God will speedily pass to the judgment that there is no God to pray to. The man begins by defying God; he ends by denying Him. Uncleanness has worked to spiritual death.

J. H. Jowett, Apostolic Optimism, p. 196.

Psa 14

Of all the senseless babble I have ever had occasion to read, the demonstration of these philosophers who undertake to tell us all about the nature of God would be the worst, if they were not surpassed by the still greater absurdities of the philosophers who try to prove that there is no God.

Huxley.

References. XIV. 1. G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p 35. J. H. Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvi. p. 424. Canon Henley Henson, The Value of the Bible, p. 113. W. Brock, Midsummer Morning Sermons, p. 21. International Critical Commentary, vol. i. p. 103. XIV. I. Williams, The Psalms Interpreted of Christ, p. 261. XV. 1. A. P. Stanley, Canterbury Sermons, p. 30. E. C. Wickham, Wellington College Sermons, p. 116.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

Withered Hearts

Psa 14

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” ( Psa 14:1 ).

The word “fool” has been traced to a term which signifies the act of withering. The sense would be represented by the expression the withered heart hath said there is no God. Though in the Scriptures the term “heart” is often employed as signifying the mind or judgment, yet in this case, judging by the consequences which are detailed, the reference is evidently to the moral nature. A distinction is indeed made in the Old Testament between “mind” and “heart”; as in the instance of the first and greatest commandment. The point to be observed then is that the “heart” or moral nature has in this instance “withered”; affection is blighted, moral instinct is perverted, the natural and noblest aspirations of life are utterly extinct. A difference is to be marked between a purely intellectual scepticism and a corrupt moral aversion. There are speculative agnostics, whose outward life may be unquestionable as to honour and faithfulness; but there are also deniers of the existence of God whose object is to get rid of responsibility and judgment. Every man will know for himself whether he belongs to the one class or to the other. Christian observers should carefully note the existence of the two classes, and never lose influence by confounding them. To charge a speculative agnostic with immorality is to destroy every possible line of approach to his attention and confidence, and to regard a corrupt and godless man simply as an intellectual unbeliever is to aggravate his wickedness through the medium of his vanity. It is not transgressing the line of fact and observation to say that it is the “heart” which first and most truly believes in God. Where the “heart” or moral purpose is simple and constant, intellectual aberrations will certainly be rectified or rendered spiritually harmless. Everything of a religious nature depends upon the purpose and faithfulness of the moral nature. The heart feels after God. The heart is first conscious of the divine absence. The heart soon becomes a medium of accusation through which the whole nature is assailed with just and destructive reproach.

The idea of “God” having been given up by the heart, certain practical consequences are inevitable.

“They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” ( Psa 14:1 ).

These are the consequences to which we have referred as shewing that it was the moral nature and not only the intellectual that had been perverted. A criminal life is the necessary counterpart of an absurd creed. Here again it must be noticed that the absurdity is distinctively moral. A creed may be intellectually absurd, and yet the moral purpose may overrule the mental peculiarity; but again and again it must be observed that where the heart has been withered the life falls into decay, putridity, and noisomeness. From this point the reasoning may be carried backwards, and in that case the reasoner would assert that because the men are corrupt and their works abominable, therefore the heart is withered. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” We need not enquire what a man “says” when we have an opportunity of observing what he does. A man who says there is a God and yet whose ways are corrupt is to be regarded as a hypocrite: a man whose ways are honourable, unimpeachable, and benevolent, may really be under the influence of the Spirit of God when he occupies a heterodox intellectual standpoint. Not they who say, “Lord, Lord,” are good, but they who do that which is right in the sight of Heaven. This rule of judgment will often save the cause of charity from cruel perversion. A narrow and sectarian orthodoxy will determine everything by what is said or written; but the true judgment will look to the life, study the spirit, and often find how true it is that a man may be better than his creed.

The psalm now enters upon a new phase by presenting a graphic image of the Lord, looking down as from a window in heaven to observe the children of men. Note that the divine observer is not looking upon particular districts, or upon particular sections of the human family; it is a “look” upon the entire human race, “the children of men.” Thus even in the Old Testament we catch glimpses of the universal Fatherhood, and the purpose of God to include all men in a common redemption. The look was not only universal, it was religious. The Lord did not look down to see who were learned, rich, influential, prosperous: the one object of the divine observation was to see if” there were any that did understand and seek God.” With reverence it might be said, this is all the Lord is really concerned about. Nor is this concern exclusive; it is in reality, and in the profoundest sense, inclusive. Evidently so, because it is an impossibility to have an intelligent and reverent interest in divine things without shewing vital solicitude about all affairs of consequence to beings made in the image and likeness of God. Beautiful is the expression “Seek God.” It opens up the way to many glorious possibilities; it was enough as a beginning that the face should be turned in the right direction, though the speed of movement was slow, and the intellectual vision was dim. It is possible to conceive of a true God looking with almost complacent pity upon men in the lowest state of idolatry. God knows the meaning of every wistful look towards even an idol made with hands, and it is not in his heart to hold in contempt the eyes that are opening upon great spiritual distances and new spiritual hopes. Where the idolater is content with his idolatry and never allows it to interfere with his depravity, God can look but with detestation and anger. Where any man is honestly and reverently seeking God, and sustaining his whole conduct by the spirit of that elevated quest, God is full of compassion and lovingkindness towards him, as a parent might pity and love an infant who has not yet awakened to self-realisation, or become possessed of the power of expressing his necessity and desire.

The judgment that is pronounced as the result of this observation is profoundly solemn:

‘They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” ( Psa 14:3 ).

This judgment is wrought out in detail in the subsequent verses. The mind and heart having gone astray having been turned astray like a deceitful bow nothing became easier than to sink into ever-deepening abysses of iniquity: the case is put also negatively so as to fill up the measure of the great accusation: “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Man cannot stop in a morally negative condition. Again and again this solemn lesson has been forced upon us by the whole current of history, and yet an insidious temptation assails the heart with the thought that it is still possible to forsake religious convictions and professions, and yet to preserve a pure and noble life. A distinction must be drawn here between those who have known God and departed from him, and those who have never known him experimentally and have been intellectually inquiring for him. The backslider and the truth-seeker must never be regarded as one and the same person. God having been surrendered as the supreme thought of the mind and the supreme rule of conduct, a scene of infinite confusion presented itself: workers of iniquity carried on their evil service as if in darkness; their mouths were opened in cruelty upon any who feared and worshipped God; the counsel of the poor was treated with contempt, and the poor themselves were devoured rapaciously. What is this but saying what we ourselves have known to be the case, that where reverence has been abandoned it has been impossible to sustain true and self-sacrificing philanthropy? Observe again that the case is one in which reverence has been formally given up, and so a great act of moral spoliation has been accomplished; it is not the case of one who is diligently studying the universe or perusing human history with a view of discovering the throne of power or the centre of energy. Such a man may have actually begun his religion at the point of assisting human necessity. Such assistance may be the initial form of “seeking God.”

The psalm ends with a pious aspiration:

‘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” ( Psa 14:7 ).

Sometimes amid the weltering confusions of life the good man’s only resource is in the utterance of pious desires. He feels that the time of argument has passed, and that even the most poignant reproaches are thrown away when there is no responsive feeling on the part of those to whom they are addressed, and it would almost seem as if punishment itself had lost its power to turn men to religious considerateness: under these circumstances the good man can but turn his face towards heaven and pray for the dawn of the better time. He sees plainly that men will never convert themselves: they have no power to climb out of the abysses into which they have plunged: even if they had the desire they are lacking in the ability, inasmuch as they have disabled themselves from coping successfully with the very laws which they have impiously defied: their hearts are withered, their will is paralysed, their very conscience is depraved; moral distinctions are blurred in most horrible confusion, and if so holy a thing as a prayer could for a moment escape their lips it would but add to the agony which it cannot alleviate. What then is to be done? The Lord himself must take the case into his own hands. He must arise out of Zion and work out the mystery of salvation. That he has had no encouragement, so to say, to do this, is the blackest fact in human life. His Spirit has been resisted, his mercies have been trampled under foot, his very existence has been disputed and even denied, and men have turned away from his throne to work all manner of evil with both hands. But the answer is still in God. Recovery must appear in the form of a miracle which it is impossible for reason to understand. Here the little faculty of explanation ceases in its toiling endeavour to make the midnight luminous as midday; there are times in history when even the preacher must be silent and the suppliant feel his inability to complete his pleading, and the whole Church stand still that the salvation of God without man’s assistance may be seen and magnified. The “fool” of the first verse will never bring in the gladness of the last. It is never within his power nor within his desire to turn the captivity of the world or enlarge its freedom. We must turn away in hopeless disgust from the “fool” who has denied God, and look up with trembling and expectant reverence to the God whom he has denied.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

PSALMS

XI

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS

According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:

1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.

2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.

3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.

4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.

5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.

6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.

7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.

At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.

The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.

The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.

They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”

The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:

1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.

2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.

3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .

In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.

It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.

There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.

The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.

The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.

The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:

Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)

Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)

Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)

Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)

Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)

They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.

There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:

Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.

Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:

1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.

2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.

3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.

4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.

5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.

All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:

In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).

In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).

In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).

In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).

The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .

QUESTIONS

1. What books are commended on the Psalms?

2. What is a psalm?

3. What is the Psalter?

4. What is the range of time in composition?

5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?

6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?

7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?

8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.

9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?

10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?

11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?

12. How many psalms in our collection?

13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?

14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?

15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?

16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?

17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?

18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?

19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?

20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?

21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?

22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?

23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?

24. How many of the psalms have no titles?

25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?

26. How do later Jews supply these titles?

27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?

XII

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)

The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:

1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).

2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).

3. The nature, or character, of the poem:

(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).

(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).

4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).

5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).

6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).

7. The kind of musical instrument:

(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).

(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).

(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).

8. A special choir:

(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).

(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).

(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).

9. The keynote, or tune:

(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).

(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).

(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).

(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).

(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).

(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.

(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.

(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.

10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).

11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)

12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).

The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.

The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.

David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:

1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.

2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.

3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.

4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.

5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:

1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.

2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.

3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.

4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.

5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.

6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.

The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.

Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.

Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:

I. By books

1. Psalms 1-41 (41)

2. Psalms 42-72 (31)

3. Psalms 73-89 (17)

4. Psalms 90-106 (17)

5. Psalms 107-150 (44)

II. According to date and authorship

1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )

2. Psalms of David:

(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).

(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).

(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).

3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).

4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).

5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).

6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )

7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )

8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)

III. By groups

1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.

2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )

3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)

4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )

5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”

IV. Doctrines of the Psalms

1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.

2. The covenant, the basis of worship.

3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.

4. The pardon of sin and justification.

5. The Messiah.

6. The future life, pro and con.

7. The imprecations.

8. Other doctrines.

V. The New Testament use of the Psalms

1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.

2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.

We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:

1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )

2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )

3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )

4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )

5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )

6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )

7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )

8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )

9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )

The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.

There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.

It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.

The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.

Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:

1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.

2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.

3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.

The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.

QUESTIONS

1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.

2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?

3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?

4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?

5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.

6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?

7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?

8. What other authors are named in the titles?

9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?

10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.

11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?

12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.

13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?

14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?

15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?

16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?

17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.

18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?

19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?

20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?

XVII

THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS

A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.

Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.

The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:

1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.

2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.

3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.

In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).

This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.

It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:

1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.

2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.

We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.

1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.

The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.

The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).

But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .

Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).

This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.

2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:

(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).

(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .

(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”

(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).

What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!

3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.

(1) His divinity,

(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;

(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .

(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .

(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .

(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .

(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .

(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.

(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .

4. His offices.

(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).

(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).

(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).

(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).

(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).

5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:

(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .

(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.

(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .

(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:

Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).

And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).

These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .

(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).

(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .

(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).

(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).

(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).

(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).

(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).

The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).

The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).

The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).

His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).

In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).

His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).

Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).

With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).

We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a good text for this chapter?

2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?

3. What is the last division called and why?

4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?

5. To what three things is the purpose limited?

6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?

7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?

8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?

9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?

10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?

11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.

12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?

13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?

14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?

15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.

16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.

17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.

18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David. 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.

Ver. 1. The fool ] That sapless fellow, that carcase of a man, that walking sepulchre of himself, in whom all religion and right reason is withered and wasted, dried up and decayed. Nabal, a fool or a churl; Nebalah, a carcase, Lev 11:40 . That apostate, in whom natural principles are extinct, and from whom God is departed; as when the prince is removing hangings are taken down. That mere animal, that hath no more than a reasonable soul, and for little other purpose than as salt, to keep his body from putrefying, , 1Co 2:14 . That wicked man, hereafter described, that studieth atheism,

Hath said in his heart ] As David proves afterward by his practice; for there are practical atheists as well as dogmatic. See a like passage, Psa 36:1 , “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart” (that is, my mind gives me, and I am strongly persuaded) “that there is no fear of God before his eyes.” This is the charge; but what proof is there? proof good enough, Psa 14:2-4 , “For he flattereth himself,” &c. So here; he is a flat atheist; for corrupt he is, and become abominable, &c. That which Cicero (De Nat. Deor.) saith of Epicurus, that lest he should offend the Athenians, verbis reliquit deos, re sustulit, in words he affirmed there were Gods, but in deed he denied a Deity, is found true in many even to this day; for all places are full of them, and so is hell too. Lucian is their Old Testament, and Machiavel their New. Worse they are than Agrippa, who was almost a Christian; worse than Protagoras with his De diis utrum sint, non ausim affirmare. For in their hearts and lives there is heard this hellish language,

There is no God ] Oh horrible! Not that atheism can ever find a perfect and continual assent in man’s heart; for there is no nation under heaven so barbarous but yields that there is a God. When man fell from God this truth stood; as when cities and great buildings are overthrown by war some towers, some pinnacles, survive the violence. They lie, saith Seneca, who say that they hold there is no God; for though to thee they say so by day, yet to themselves and by night they doubt it, at least. And when they come to die they sometimes cry out they are damned; as did Thomas Blaverus, chief counsellor sometime to the king of Scots; and one Arthur Miller, a professed atheist; and, before them both, a certain desperate dean of Paul’s (Sword against Swearers).

Corrupt are they, and become abominable ] Or loathsome; how should they be better, that have laid hands upon all the principles in their heads, and made a clean riddance of them, that they may run riot in sin without restraint or control? which, while others see, they also are ready to say, with that poet,

Sollicitor nullos esse putare Deus.

I have read of a woman who, living in professed doubt of the Godhead, after better illumination and repentance, did often protest that the vicious life of a great scholar in that town did conjure up those damnable doubtings in her soul (Mr Ward’s Happ. of Parad.).

There is none that doeth good ] i.e. None to speak of, no considerable number,

Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)