2 Jehovah looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
Jehovah looketh from the heavens; 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 looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth.
there is not the [man] that understands, there is not one that seeks after God.
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee; for thou hast put away the Asherahs out of the land, and hast directed thy heart to seek God.
for the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes as asleep, lest they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Many shall be purified, and be made white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. And to him that is void of understanding she saith,
Look down from the heavens, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory! Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy tender mercies? Are they restrained toward me?
till Jehovah look down and behold from the heavens.
Oh, that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, -- that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.
When its branches are withered they shall be broken off; women shall come [and] set them on fire. For it is a people of no intelligence; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he who formed them will shew them no favour.
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto the necromancers and unto the soothsayers, who chirp and who mutter, [say,] Shall not a people seek unto their God? [Will they go] for the living unto the dead?
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.
Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them understand the loving-kindnesses of Jehovah.
A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand it.
They know not, neither do they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are moved.
that has directed his heart to seek God, Jehovah the God of his fathers, although not 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).