I am late with Psalm Sunday this week. We were busy til late Sunday evening, and I had fully planned to do this yesterday morning and just forgot, I guess because my Monday morning I usually already have it done.

Psalm 14

1 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.

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

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

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

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

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

7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
This is another of those Psalms that seems pretty straightforward — there is not much to say about it — it says it all! 🙂

Verse 1 did remind me of Romans 1:16-32, which traces the progression of people who “do not like to retain God in their knowledge” (v. 28) and are then “given over to a reprobate mind.” I used to think “reprobate” meant “really sinful” unto it was explained to me that it meant “unable to make sound judgment.” That explains some of the weird and unreasonable views and decisions in this day and age, I think. Sometimes I hear and read things that make me shake my head in wonder at the blindness. I think when people do not acknowledge God, as the first verse of this Psalm says, that opens them up to corruption, abominable works, and a lack of doing good.

Romans 1 also says,

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Man tends to glorify himself and his own “reasoning” powers these days. “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse…” God showed evidence of Himself clearly, yet people refuse to see it, choosing rather to explain away God’s majestic and marvelous creation by contrived theories of evolution.

Is there no hope then? There is always hope until the Lord returns again. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three…” (I Cor. 13:13a). There is hope in the mercy of God, shown to all of us. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9). And there is hope in His Word: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalm 119:130). May we faithfully share God’s Word, praying that it will give light to darkened hearts just as it did to ours.

More thoughts on this Psalm can be found at Butterfly Kisses.