2 Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, That did seek after God.
Jehovah looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men; From the place of his habitation he looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast put away the Asheroth out of the land, and hast set thy heart to seek God.
For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where are thy zeal and thy mighty acts? the yearning of thy heart and thy compassions are restrained toward me.
Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,
And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off; the women shall come, and set them on fire; for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have compassion upon them, and he that formed them will show them no favor.
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living `should they seek' unto the dead?
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, `yea', every good path.
Whoso is wise will give heed to these things; And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah. Psalm 108 A Song, A Psalm of David.
A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this:
They know not, neither do they understand; They walk to and fro in darkness: All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though `he be' not `cleansed' according to the purification of the sanctuary.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 14
Commentary on Psalms 14 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 14
Ps 14:1-7. The practical atheism and total and universal depravity of the wicked, with their hatred to the good, are set forth. Yet, as they dread God's judgments when He vindicates His people, the Psalmist prays for His delivering power.
1. Sinners are termed "fools," because they think and act contrary to right reason (Ge 34:7; Jos 7:15; Ps 39:8; 74:18, 22).
in his heart—to himself (Ge 6:12).
2. looked—in earnest enquiry.
understand—as opposed to "fool" [Ps 14:1].
3. filthy—literally, "spoiled," or, "soured," "corrupted" (Job 15:16; Ro 3:12).
4-6. Their conduct evinces indifference rather than ignorance of God; for when He appears in judgment, they are stricken with great fear.
who eat up my people—to express their beastly fury (Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14). To "call on the Lord" is to worship Him.
7. captivity—denotes any great evil.
Zion—God's abode, from which He revealed His purposes of mercy, as He now does by the Church (compare Ps 3:4; 20:2), and which He rules and in which He does all other things for the good of His people (Eph 1:22).