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Psalm 14[a]

A Lament over Widespread Corruption

For the leader. Of David.

I

The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt;
    not one does what is good.(A)
The Lord looks down from heaven
    upon the children of men,(B)
To see if even one is wise,
    if even one seeks God.(C)
All have gone astray;
    all alike are perverse.
Not one does what is good,
    not even one.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14 The lament (duplicated in Ps 53) depicts the world as consisting of two types of people: “the fool” (equals the wicked, Ps 14:1–3) and “the company of the just” (Ps 14:4–6; also called “my people,” and “the poor”). The wicked persecute the just, but the Psalm expresses the hope that God will punish the wicked and reward the good.

Psalm 14(A)

For the director of music. Of David.

The fool[a] says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(B)
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven(C)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(D)
    any who seek God.(E)
All have turned away,(F) all have become corrupt;(G)
    there is no one who does good,(H)
    not even one.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.