One of the most famous of all Psalms of David is Psalm 14.  Certain verses from Psalm 14 are used in various passages of the Scripture. This Psalm is very personal from David’s perspective. This Psalm is very prophetic from Israel’s perspective. This Psalm is very practical from Paul’s perspective.

     To suit the sanctuary liturgy, probably David altered this Psalm 14 from his Psalm 53. Therefore, Psalm 14 omits everything in Psalm 53 that was suitable for private use than for public use.

     Psalm 14 is to comfort the righteous in the midst of abundant iniquity and Psalm 53 is an instructive warning for the wicked.

     1. The Universality of man’s apostasy

     2. The suicidal blindness of wicked workers

     3. The great fear overtakes them

     4. The refuge of God’s poor people

     5. The prayer for the joyous deliverance of Israel (v.7).

     Paul used this Psalm 14 in his development of the grace Gospel in the book of Romans. Paul quotes this Psalm 14 in Romans 3:10-12 for him to prove that all are depraved of sin and guilty before God and need to repent from sins and have faith only in Jesus Christ to be saved. Paul makes this Palm 14 practical to every human, whether Jew or Gentile, whether male of female, whether adult or child.

     David did not have Paul’s Gospel in view when he wrote this Psalm 14. David wrote Psalm 14 in the midst of a real historical background so David wrote Psalm 14 in view of the nation Israel.

     1. Psalm 14 becomes extremely applicable during the time when many people are atheistic and extremely corrupt – v.1

     2. Psalm 14 becomes extremely applicable during the time when God’s people especially Israel are being eaten alive – v.4

     3. Psalm 14 becomes extremely applicable just prior to Israel being restored and just prior to Israel rejoicing, when Israel longs for deliverance from God in Zion – v.7

     Psalm 14 reflects the moral conditions that will prevail during the time of Israel great trouble on tribulation period before the restoration of Israel to Kingdom blessing in one thousand millennium reigns of Christ.

     Psalm 14 specifically describes that will happen and what the world will be like during the Great Tribulation just before the second coming of Jesus Christ to reign as Messianic King of Israel.

     David saw how this depraved world desperately in need of a reigning, righteous Messiah, and this reality will become more evident as we near the end of the Church age. As we come near the rapture that will be immediately followed by the tribulation, we will see that these worst situations of the world when God’s program will swing back to Israel.

     The instruction “Maschil” in the title of Psalm 53 is omitted in Psalm 14. We noticed that the superscription of this Psalm 14 was written by David to the choir director. It means that many of these truths contained in this Psalm 14 are negative, and were to be presented at worship services. We in our time tend to be living in a time when many want a worship service that makes everyone feel good about themselves. They mind for good feeling of themselves more than truth from the Word of God.

     Godless people should not ever feel good about themselves when they go to a place that truly worships God. They should see themselves honestly, they should see themselves exactly how God sees them. These godless people should see their sinfulness, wickedness and should admit their sin and evil doings and should immediately respond to the moving of the Spirit and respond to the grace of God.

     One thing we notice in verse 1, that the special name Yahweh (H3068) the keeper of God’s covenant with His people was substituted by the general name Elohiym (H430), the creator. Elohiym was used here instead of Yahweh.

     The word “fool” in Hebrews don’t refers to someone who is not in right thinking or talking and laughing to no one or just speaking to himself without anyone listening. In fact, the word “fool” [naabaal (H5036 )] refers to a person whom God considers foolish who is out of their minds because that person is wicked, evil doers and has rejected and abandoned the things of God. The word “fool” refers more to a person’s character than a person’s comprehension.

     The mind and the heart of a fool person is closed to the true Word of God and to the will of God. A fool person enjoys living in a lawless and self-centered life and a fool is blinded by worldliness lifestyle. A person is so foolish because his mindset and lifestyle have eternal consequence.

Awit 14:1a "Sinasabi ng hangal sa kanyang puso, '"Walang Diyos." FILIPINO VERSION

     The phrase “The fool has said.” Who is the fool in verse 1? Not only is he a fool who says there is no God, but the whole world is full of tones that say so, in Hebrew [Naabaal (H5036)], that word “fool” comes from a root meaning "to wither": one of withered intellect. Contrast that in another Psalm of David in Psalm 1: 3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;”, the blade of the godly "will not wither", the same Hebrew root]. Because of the root meaning “to wither”, therefore, flat, insipiens. But this is not speculative, but practical atheism, there is a denial of God’s moral government, so that foolish person and wicked person become almost synonymous. The fool is synonymous with the wicked. 

     The words “hath said in her heart.” It means the fool said from the source of evil, which is the heart, and evil passes to the understanding. Then its manifestation comes in the facts. The Scriptures call things by their correct names. Sin, although it appears good with apparent sagacity and success which is called the rich fool and successful, but according to the Word of God “madness” and the worldly sinner is a “fool."

     This person was not fool enough, though, to say it, except in his heart. Fools have grown and for now, they not only say it in their heart, but they say with their tongues, “There is no god. By the way, some people do not call them “fools” now, they call them Philosophers”. However, that is often exactly the same.

     We notice that not many people in so many words say “there is no God”, but it is the secret thought (because it is the desire) of your “heart”.

In this Psalm 14 we have a picture of the whole world since Christ’s rejection.

     In verse 1, “The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God.” Perhaps he does not say it with his lips and does not necessarily say in Public that there is no God, but he says it in his heart and this person acts and lives as though there is no God. Perhaps this person would not call himself an atheist, fools are good at playing religion. They can give the impression that they really believe in God and are in touch with God when in all reality they deny God and God’s Word in their hearts.

     Any man is a fool who lives in a world like this and even during the tribulation period as historical background as though there is no God.  As you notice at verse 1 of this Psalm you will see that the words, “there is” are in italics, which means that there is nothing in the original to answer to them. The words “there is” are added to make the sentence a little clearer. If we leave them out, it would render: “The fool hath said in his heart, No God” It means “no God for me, no God in my life, no God in my thinking, and I am going to have my own way, I am going to have fleshly and worldly pleasures, I am going to do as I please, I am going to live as I want to live, I have my own plan, I will go if I want to go, I can do all things through me.”

     Fools make a mock at sin (Proverbs 14:9 “Fools make a mock at sin:”). The world looks on the Christian and says, “These people are fools because these people have given up the joy of this world and have turned away from the good times earth has to offer because of their bible and said they are Christians.” The Apostle Paul, call us that if you like a fool, he said in I Corinthians 4:10 “We are fools for Christ's sake.” After all, Paul says in I Corinthians 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men;” The real fool is the man who has no place for God in his life, do not mind to prioritize God, do not consult or acknowledge God for everything, and trust God even it costs whole of his life.

     One theologian used to say you may be certain “there are many atheists on earth, but there are none in hell.”

     1. The reality of God is proved externally.

God exists and it was proven by all kinds of external realities such as creation–Romans 1:20;

     2. The realization of God is proved internally

God has put in every man, an intuitive knowledge about God. – Romans 1:19

     3. The revelation of God though the Scriptures

God is revealed to man the truth about God though written Word.

Awit 14:1b “Sila'y masasama, sila'y gumagawa ng kasuklamsuklam na mga gawa; walang gumagawa ng mabuti.” FILIPINO VERSION

     Notice the phrase in verse 1 “They are corrupt, they have done abominable works”, means the corruption of life necessarily flows from atheism of the heart. Man is the same “corrupt” being in all ages that he was before the flood (Genesis 6:12 “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”). The words “They are corrupt” is always so. When people will not have God, will not acknowledge God as the center of his life, will not love God above God, will not reverently fear God, instead will not have goodness “they are corrupt.” The words in this Psalm 14 “They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” are the words quoted of Paul to the Romans where Paul brings the whole world into the court and find them all guilty of sinning in the eyes of God and Paul give the verdict “None that doeth good.” “There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:12; Romans 3:11) and Paul quotes from this Psalm 14 to sustain the judgment. Paul charges the workers of iniquity with acting as men who are absolutely destitute of common sense. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Is it because they are utterly stupid that they live as they do? Sin is a terrible thing, for a man knows, if he stops to think, that he cannot escape the consequences of sin as Paul writes in Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” What a stupid thing it is to go on sinning against God. No man in his right mind could ever do the things that some ungodly people do. Maybe people would think that their wrong common sense or lack of knowledge would hold them back from some of the crimes and iniquities they are guilty of, but when sin gets a hold on a man it perverts his judgment. This Psalm 14 is applicable to the people in future prophetical historical background during tribulation before Christ earthly reign in millennial kingdom, “they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

     Again, the words “They have done abominable works,” they have literally made their works loathe. The vulgate have gotten the sense, “they have become abominable in their practices.” That’s the way the world is so evil with the leadership of the antichrist during the tribulation period as David views it prophetically. This Psalm 14 gives us description or picture of a fool not only the foolish people and evil corrupt society during tribulation period, as deceived with the demonic government of the antichrist but this Psalm also gives us the reality of people living as fool in our modern days. The fool does not give any thought to the Word God or to the will of God, fool only does and says and thinks what he wants. The life of a fool is filled with things God classifies as abominable and a fool is completely given over to godless immorality. Many of the present political leaders are promoting homosexuality and saying that homosexuality is okey. This will cause the wrath of God pours the His divine judgment to our country. The corruption and immoralities are an abomination to God and it will bring God’s wrath to pour in against the wicked people and the antichrist during the great tribulation and likewise God’s wrath will extremely fall down on this wicked modern world today. But many leaders in many nations are so corrupt for they promote that which is of a fool.

     Then David writes, “there is none that doeth good” he wants to say “there is no one who does well” it means their actions are not good or not pleasing to God. The Septuagint and the latin vulgate add, “No, none;” so the Apostle in his epistle to the Romans quotes Psalm 14:1” there is none that doeth good” in Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”; Romans 3:12 “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”).

     As we emphasized in this sermon using Psalm 14, that during the tribulation period, God will be continuously denied and rejected and wickedness will dominate and people of God will be mocked and persecuted particularly Israel, until Jesus Christ reign in this world in Millennial Kingdom.

Awit 14:3 “Silang lahat ay naligaw, sila ay pare-parehong naging masasama; walang sinumang gumagawa ng mabuti, wala kahit isa. Sila'y masasama, sila'y gumagawa ng kasuklamsuklam na mga gawa; walang gumagawa ng mabuti.” FILIPINO VERSION

     The fool bands together with other fools. They have common denominator.

     Fool’s common denominator as stated ““They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” They are all sinners in nature, all guilty before God, all who gone astray, all workers of iniquities, all living without God. They are in the same spiritual condition with each other, they have their common denominator.

     The phrase “they are all together become filthy”. Translated “together they have become corrupt.” NASB, ESV; in Hebrew (H444 neelachu). Described, they are become sour and rancid; a metaphor taken from milk that has fermented and turned sour, rancid, and worthless. The word “filthy” rather translated “corrupt” or “putrid.” They are altogether become filthy, loathsome, and abominable before God. Fools mentioned in verse 1, hang out with other corrupt fools, because all fools have a common denominator. All fools form a special bond which is glued together by their corruption without God, all of them turn aside from the God’s Word and God’s will. Fools love the same filth so tend to flock together. We observed that drunkards love fellow drunkards, drug addicts love and enjoy with other drug addicts, sex perverts love and support other sex perverts, worldly fleshly people enjoy the company of worldly fleshly people, rebellious teenagers back up fellow rebellious teenagers, and false religions lure and encourage people of like mind to their false religious congregation. People have their close contact with camaraderie with others who are not right with God because they themselves are fool who are not right with God. They form their close friendship since all of them turned aside from God and God’s Word. This is one reason why atheists band together, enjoy their fellow atheist, people living without fearing God like the homosexuals and lesbians band together. Criminals and murderers band together, idolatrous band together, liars and robbers band together, corrupt band together. That is what fools do. Fools stick together, band together. Fools have denominator.

     That is why we say that those fools who acts, says and lives without God in verse 1, are described corrupt with his sinful nature, and finds his camaraderie with his fellow fools, to band, stick together. Fools’ common denominator.

- - - - -Continuation, Part 2 - November 3, 2021 - - - - -

Awit 14:4a “Hindi ba alam ng lahat ng gumagawa ng kasamaan, na siyang kumakain sa aking bayan gaya ng kanilang pagkain ng tinapay,” FILIPINO VERSION

     Here, we can see that the fool devours God's faithful people.

     We read in verse 4 “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?” This foolish workers of iniquity with their deeply fallen state they add cruelty, they oppress and destroy the poor, without either interest or reason, fool don’t care. This could also be one picture of those evil workers of iniquity during the prophetic tribulation period.

Fools are workers of iniquities or wickedness so they attempt to devour the people of God. Fools convince themselves that they are not accountable to anybody. Fools mistreat the faithful servants of God; they think they are getting away with their evil and pay nothing with all wickedness they have done.

     If you are a believer of Christ, you will be hated and mocked by many people because Jesus predicted when he was on this earth that this world will hate and devour God’s people (John 15:18-21).

     It seems sometimes when fool devouring people of God may appear to be a great sport, but in reality, it is suicidal in the part of this wicked fool people. God will never allow God’s people to be persecuted for very long. In due time God will pour His wrath against fool workers of wickedness and put an end to all his evil doings against people of God.

     Notice again the words “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?” the question means are they so senseless as not to perceive the consequences of their wrong-doing? or if we point the verb as the Septuagint (the earliest extant Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew) and Vulgate, “shall they not know?” In fact, they are sure to find out to what their wickedness is leading them. Have the workers of iniquities lost their senses? They have neither religion nor common discretion, either of these two might teach them not to fight against Omnipotent God, teach them not to seek death, teach them about everlasting death and destruction, teach them what is like in the error of their life, teach them not to rush voluntarily into the wrath of God, and teach them not to provoke the vengeance of eternal fire. 

     Then it says again in verse 4 “Who eat up my people as they eat bread,” That is saying, who devour and destroy them, meaning God's people, the poor and godly Israelites; as they eat bread with as little regret or remorse, and with as much greediness, delight, and constancy also, like the way they use to eat their meat. That is the way these fools’ worker of wickedness treat, belittle, hit, attack, mock, play and devour the people of God. 

     Look again the phrase “Who eat up my people as they eat bread,” That is the foolish evil doers sustain themselves in their own path of life by the imperfections of the people of God (Israelites and all believers). That is, this fool workers of iniquities make use of God’s people or believer’s inconsistencies in their spiritual life to confirm themselves in the belief that there is no God. Fools’ evil workers argue that a religion which produces no manifestation of better fruits that is seen in the lives of its professing believers of Christ that religion can be of no value, or cannot be genuine. If a professed belief in God produces no happier results that should be found in believer’s lives, it could be of no advantage to worship God. These professed believers of God are as good as those people who professed to be religious, that therefore, there can be no evidence from the lives of the professed friends of God that religion is either true or with any value. There must be no inconsiderable part of the evidence in their religion shall be derived from the lives of religious friends because when Godly evidence is not furnished, every small part of the proof of its reality and value of their religion is lost. Hence, it is so much important that everything in the Holy Scriptures must be necessary to be attached in the life of the believers to be consistent as part of the professed religion. 

     The words “Who eat up” literally “eating my people, as they have eaten bread,” can be explained as “to devour God’s people has been as usual and as regular as the daily meal.” Could also render “whilst eating my people they have eaten bread, regardless of Jehovah” means they have gone on in their security eating and drinking with no thought of the vengeance preparing for them by the God of the oppressed Jewish race. It could also render “all the workers of iniquity who eat my people, they eat bread or live regardless of Jehovah.” This truth prophetically will be experienced by the Israelites, the people of God during the tribulation before the coming of Christ, the King ruler to reign in Millennial Kingdom.

     Notice the two words of David, “my people,” The words “my people” here are properly to be regarded as the words of the psalmist, identifying himself with the people of God, the Israelites, and speaking of them thus as “his own people.” Or this may be spoken by David, considered himself as the head or ruler of the nation Israel, and he may thus speak of the people of God, the Jewish people as his people. Again, we could view it prophetically the days the Israelites, the people of God on the tribulation. The fool workers of iniquities think nothing good of and no concern on God's people. They could swallow them at a mouthful, they so despise them. Notice, that, whenever a man despises God, he soon despises God's people; it is only natural that he should do so. Truly, fool devours God’s faithful people.

Awit 14:4b “at hindi tumatawag sa Panginoon?” FILIPINO VERSION

     The fool will not pray.

     The phrase says, “and call not upon the Lord.” It means this fool have no defense because they call not the Lord. These fool workers of iniquities are all either atheists or idolaters.

     The words “and call not upon the Lord.” Signifies that fool does not worship Yahweh, this wickedness is evident for they do not pray, this fool does not invoke the blessing of their Maker, that they do not publicly acknowledge Him as God.

     Fool “call not upon the Lord” this refers to what they are saying in their heart, "There is no God" (Psalms 14:1), and not “seeking God” (Psalms 14:2), and having "gone aside" from Him (Psalms 14:3). Heartless conduct toward man, and disregard of God, go hand in hand.

     Fool “call not upon the Lord” is an evidence that they are guilty, not only of gross injustice toward men, but also of horrid, impiety and contempt of God, denying His providence, and totally neglecting, if not despising, God’s worship. Strange! that they should all be therefore senseless, as not only to injure and oppress God’s poor innocent people, but to be cruel and does not care for they without pity toward believers of God, and to throw off likewise all religion!

     It is remarkable that the words “and call not upon the Lord” is placed as the last part of verse 4 in the evidence of sinner’s depravity.

Now, to anyone who should look at things as they are as God allows and prepare for them; to anyone who sees all the claims and obligations which rest upon mankind as God blesses them and give them grace and strength for it; to anyone who appreciates his own guilt as God shows them; to anyone who appreciates his dependence as God give them understanding about his weakness; and to anyone who appreciates his exposure to death and woe as God protects them; to anyone who understands aright why man was made as God speaks to them and presents the greatest purpose of life to glorify God. Upon all of these privileges of God’s mercy and grace, there can be no more remarkable proof of human depravity than in the fact that a man in no way acknowledges his Maker; that a man renders God no reverence; that a man never humbly entreat for God’s favor; that a man hates or detest God’s wrath; that a man, in the midst of trials, temptations, and perils of life, he determined and make an effort to make his way through the world as if there were no God.”

     The highest crime that Angel Gabriel could commit would be to renounce all allegiance to his Maker, and henceforward to live as if there were no God. All other iniquities that a man might commit would spring out of not acknowledging God, and would be secondary to that as if there were no God. The great sin of man consists in renouncing God, and attempting to live as if there were no Supreme Being to whom human owes allegiance. All other sins spring out of that, and are connected to it.

     No fool will ever humble himself and cry out to God for salvation or for help. Fool do not acknowledge God. Praying to God is the only way out of the foolish status. But fools do not pray.  Fools disallowed himself to pray to God.

     It is like asking the wicked fool people with the question of, “will ye shame the counsel of the afflicted?” or "Will ye now shame, or laugh at the poor oppressed people, for making God their refuge?” (This could be applied for David’s personal situation; or this could be applied to Israel prophetical settings during the tribulation period).

     The Psalmist refers to the confidence which the afflicted people professed to have in God for their deliverance, which that confidence of the afflicted people to God were ridiculed by the Babylonians. The poor people took counsel together to expect help from God, and to wait patiently for it; and this counsel that the fool derided, because the wicked fool did not know or did not consider, that God was in the congregation of the righteous.

     The address here “Ye have shamed,” is made directly to the wicked themselves, to show them the baseness of their evil conduct, and perhaps, in connection with the previous verse 5, to show them what cause they had for fear. The idea in the verse seems to be, that as God was the protector of the “poor” who had come to God for “refuge,” and as this wicked fool people had “shamed the counsel of the poor” who had done this shaming, they had real cause for alarm. The phrase “ye have shamed” seems to mean that these wicked people had “despised” it, or had treated it with derision, that is, they had laughed at, or had mocked the purpose of the poor in putting their trust in Yahweh. If we are to understand that this statement of verse 6 had a connection with first clause of verse 5 “There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.”, to which this clause in verse 6 “ye have shamed the counsel of the poor,” therefore wicked fools shall put to themselves shame because they oppressed the poor, afflicted righteous people of God.  It is not the afflicted people of God who will end up being ashamed, it is the fool who were shamed at the end. Certainly, there is the connection between the expressed sin and its retribution. Thus, the clause tallies with Psalm 53:5 “thou hast put them to shame.” It means the Lord put these wicked fool into shame.

     This confidence, this piety, this appeal of the poor, afflicted righteous people of God addressed to the supreme Protector, is in this verse 6 which is called “the counsel,” the “plan” of the sufferer. The words “the counsel,” refers to the purpose, the plan, and the act of the poor; it means the poor is putting their trust in the Lord. The wicked foolish had derided this as vain and foolish plan and action, since they maintained that there was no God (Psalm 14:1). These foolish wicked therefore regarded the counsel of the poor as an act as mere illusion. 

     The righteous people of God, was considered as poor here, or as afflicted. The word here rendered “poor” more properly means, afflicted, distressed, needy. The word “poor” is often rendered “afflicted,” Job:34:28 “So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.”; Psalm 18:27 “For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.”; Psalm 22:24 “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.”; Psalm 25:16 “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.”; Psalm 82:3 “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.”; Also the word “poor” is rendered “humble” in Psalm 9:12 “When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.”; Psalm 10:12 “Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.” The common rendering of the word, however, is poor,” but it refers properly to the righteous, with the idea that they are afflicted, needy, and in humble circumstances. And that is the idea of the word “poor” here in this passage. The wicked fool had derided those people who are in poverty, depression, want, trial, had no other resources, and those who had sought their comfort in God. The reproaches to the poor tended to remove their last consolation, and to cover them with confusion. Therefore, it was proper that those wicked fool people who had done this to the poor should be overwhelmed with fear (Psalm 53:5). If there is anything which deserves punishment it is the act which would take away from the world the last hope of the wretched, that there is the reality “that there is a God.”

     The word “because” was the ground of the contempt of the fools, to that righteous, mocked, derided people of God who lived by faith in God's promise and providence.  Notice in verse 6, the words "because the Lord is his refuge " follows naturally the phrase, “Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor” which tallied with the words in Psalm 53:5 “because God hath despised them” that follows the phrase “thou hast put them to shame.” The wicked people were shaming the God-relying counsel of the poor, oppressed, afflicted in their trials, so God put the wicked fool to shame, God despised the wicked fool oppressors.  

     The words in verse 6, “because the Lord is his refuge.” Is parallel to previous verse 5, "God is in the generation of the righteous." We can see here that "God" (Elohiym (H430), the mighty, Deity) is "among the righteous," therefore "the Lord (Yahweh (H3068), in covenant relation with His people) is his (the godly poor man's) refuge."

     It says in verse 6 “the Lord is his refuge.” Jehovah is his refuge. In the midst of poverty, affliction, and trouble, God (Elohiym) is with the righteous, and put his trust in the Lord (Yahweh) as their refuge. The doctrine of the wicked tended to destroy the source of comfort when they say, “that there was no God.” The fools try to mock, to scoff at and shame the true words of those who love God. A fool tries to disregard the Word of God. When you tell a fool “this says the Lord,” they will respond to you “that is just your opinion.” When you tell the fool, the Bible is inspired by God, the fool will respond to you that it is just another book written by men. But what the fool does not realize is that the Lord (Yahweh) is always the refuge of His people, even in the tribulation period, the people of God, Israel has their refuge in their King, Messiah, Jesus Christ in His millennial reign. When God’s people are presenting God’s truth of God’s counsel, God is carefully watching over God’s people. It is not the afflicted people of God who will be put to shame, at the end it is the wicked fool who will be ashamed (Psalm 53:5).

     Atheism cuts off every hope of man, and leaves the wretched to despair. Atheism would put out the last light that gleams on the earth, and cover the world with total and eternal night. The wicked fool people mocked at the idea of a man trusting in God for his own daily bread, or trusting in God for his own eternal salvation; but all of these things were mocked as men may do, there is no other refuge for a soul but God. When the floods are out, there is no safety but in the ark with God. Oh, that men would trust in God. These wicked foolish generation will continue to exist in our generation and even in tribulation where the Israelites the people of God will be mocked, severely persecuted, and the wickedness and iniquities abounds until Jesus comes in His Millennial reign in this earth.

  - - - - -continuation, Part 3 - - November 10, 2021

The second is…

The first assessment is…

Awit 14:2 “Ang Diyos ay tumutunghay mula sa langit sa mga anak ng mga tao, upang tingnan kung may sinumang matalino, na naghahanap sa Diyos.” FILIPINO VERSION

     God knoweth all things without any enquiry. But the words “The Lord looked down from heaven,” the eminent God is represented by David as looking down upon the habitable globe, to see if there were any that did understand that there was a Supreme Being, the governor and judge of men; and, in consequences, that person seek God for His mercy, support, and defense. God looked intently, or so as to secure a close examination, upon the children of men, for the purpose of ascertaining whether there were any that were good. God is aiming “to see if there were any that did understand” that is if there were one person acting wisely, to wit (talas ng isip), in seeking God. Acting wisely here is anyone that did understand, that is in contrast with the folly who said in his heart “there is no God,” referred to in verse 1. The words “did understand” better rendered, “any man of understanding” in contrast with fool in verse 1, and it means a person who regulates his conduct on the conviction of the existence of a holy and just God.

     Not only God wants to see if there were any that did understand about God or acting wisely, but also God is looking for those who “seek God.” God here is Elohiym (H430). (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13; II Corinthians 15:2). Elohiym is from an old Hebrew root to “worship” ['aalah] (Arabic, alaha), akin to a root ['uwl (H193)] means to be strong. The primary idea is that of strength, so that Elohiym expresses the Deity in His God’s manifold power, without reference to His personality and moral attributes. The plural form indicates the fullness and richness of the divine powers, as understanding in Himself all those several perfections of might which the pagan afterward attributed to their numerous deities respectively. Elohiym expresses the Deity in the abstract. YAHWEH is the revealed Elohiym, the manifest, only, personal, one. The name may be read rather as Yahweh (H3068), “the Existing One.” Elohiym indicates the Creator while Yahweh indicates the Redeemer. In the Pentateuch, Moses accurately observes the theological differences of idea, in his use of the names Yahweh and Elohim respectively. When the Psalmist writes, “and Seek God” that is seeking about the knowledge of God; seeking about the favour of God and seeking the friendship of God. Wisdom is shown by a “desire” to become acquainted with the being and perfections of God, likewise the actual possession of that God’s knowledge. The true character of man can only be better determined by the actual interest which is felt in becoming acquainted with the character of God who made and who governs the universe. It is one of the clearest proofs of human depravity that there is no prevailing desire among people in order to ascertain the character of God.              

     Yahweh is different from the way the unbelievers think, because the unbelievers are indifferent in thinking about man’s conduct. God is continually and strictly taking note of all the thoughts, words, and acts of His creatures. Appropriately God [(in Hebrew “Elohim” (H430)], whose existence was ignored by people in the world, now changes His name into “Yahweh” (H3068) which in verse 2, the English version is “the Lord,” which is the personal God, who is faithful to His promises and to His threats. The man being corrupt fools, with self-love except of few, constituted the masses of people in the world, and even includes the professing church. Those few who form the exception are those who “understand”, act on true wisdom which is piety (Psalm 111:10; Daniel 12:10), on the other hand the multitudes are those who are “fool” and “corrupt”.

     The original words of the phrase in verse 2, “The Lord looked down from heaven,” used here is to convey the idea of literally “bending forward,” that is to bent forward to look as from a window, and hence, it is an intense and anxious looking, as we bend forward when we wish to examine anything with attention, or when we look out for one who is expected to come.

     Now, we may observe from this Psalm 14 that God does see a group that God classifies as “the righteous generation” (v.5).  When God look at the world, God sees all under sin. The only people who are not viewed as being under sin are those God classifies as righteous. In this dispensation of grace, the only one who would have this classification of being righteous would be one who believes in Jesus Christ (Romans 3). In this Psalm, God looked at all men, God examined all their pretensions to goodness, and God saw none who could be regarded as exempt from the charge of depravity. At the time when God looked, He could see none that understood Him, or sought him (Romans 3:11). By nature, we are all in this sinful condition. Until the grace of God seeks us, we never seek God. Nothing could more clearly prove the doctrine of universal depravity than to say that an Omniscient God made “an express examination” on this very point, that God looked over all the world, and that in the multitudes which passed under the notice of God eye not “one” could be found who could be pronounced righteous. If God could not find such a one, assuredly man cannot.

     The Lord looked down from heaven “upon the children of men,” that is upon the whole Israel nation, and that is upon mankind, upon the human race. They are called “children,” or “son” in Hebrew, because they are all the descendants of the man that God created that is of Adam. The original word here, indeed is “Adam.” It may be questionable whether, since this became in fact a proper name, designating the first man, it would not have been proper to retain the idea in the translation “the sons of Adam;” that is referring to all his descendants. So, the phrase “children of men” occurs frequently to denote the human race (Deuteronomy 32:8 “sons of Adam”; Psalm 11:4 “children of men”; Psalm 21:10 “children of men”; Psalm 31:19 “sons of men”; Psalm 36:7 “children of men”; Psalm 57:4 “sons of men.”).  The Psalmist has in view about the children of men in Genesis 11:5 “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.”, where similarly also in Genesis 18:21, we see that the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded. 

     The words described in verses 2-3 are taken from Genesis 6:5 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”, and are used here in confutation of the profane and Epicurean ideas of those who denied a providence of God.

Awit 14:3 “Silang lahat ay tumalikod; sila'y pawang masasama, walang sinumang gumagawa ng mabuti, wala, wala kahit isa.” FILIPINO VERSION

     God look down and said, “They are all gone aside,” states the result of the divine court investigation referred to in the previous verse 2. The result as seen by God himself as the Judge, and the court decision was that “all” have gone aside, all were guilty in the sight of God, all have become filthy.

     The phrase “gone aside,” the fools will not walk in straight path, means to turn out of the right way or from the path of wisdom and righteousness. It means to go off, to turn aside or away, to depart. They seek crooked ways; and fools have departed from truth, and departed from the God of truth (Exodus 32:8). The idea of the words “gone aside” is to turn away from God; to fall away from His worship; to apostatize (I Samuel 12:20; II Kings 18:6; II Chronicles 25:27). They had all apostatized from the living God. There “gone aside” or going aside from following the Lord or turn away from God’s commandment in contrast to seeking the Lord.

     The word “all” makes the statement as universal; and this clearly affirms the doctrine of universal depravity. The condition by nature of all without exception: The “children of men” (Psalm 14:2), “the generation of the righteous” (Psalm 14:5), also called “were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Ephesians 2:3). God accumulates words to express the wide prevalence of the corruption, “all” (literally, the all, the whole of humanity) …”together”…”there is none that doeth good, no not one.”

     The phrase “they are all together become filthy”. Translated “together they have become corrupt.” NASB, ESV; in Hebrew (H444 neelachu). Described, they are become sour and rancid; a metaphor taken from milk that has fermented and turned sour, rancid, and worthless. The word “filthy” rather translated “corrupt” or “putrid.” They are altogether become filthy, loathsome, and abominable before God.

     Notice the last phrase of the verse “there is none that doeth good.” That was in old Testament times, it says no not one. If you turn to the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, you will find that Paul quotes it as being true in his day (Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”. It is always true, and it always will be true, “There is none that doeth good; no, not one.” This is not only the state of heathen Babylon! but the state of the whole inhabitants of the earth, till the grace of God changes their heart. By nature, and from nature, by practice, every man is sinful and corrupt. He feels no good; he is disposed to no good; he does no good. And even God himself, who cannot be deceived, cannot find a single exception to this!

     The Vulgate, the Roman copy of the Septuagint, the Ethiopic, and some Arabic copies, add those six verses here which are quoted by St. Paul in Romans 3:13-18. After we read Psalm 14:3, we may read Paul’s epistle in Romans 3:13-18. Apostle Paul seems to have collected this just portrait of human nature in its unregenerate state, from various parts of the old testament. How essential therefore are the aids of grace for the renovation of the heart. Man in this awful state can never enter heaven apart from the grace of God.

     What God views of all humanity is when He says, “there is none that doeth good,” and again God says “they are all gone aside,” We may not all be atheists, but we are all sinners.

     Depravity does not mean that every person is as bad as everybody may be; Depravity means that all are sinners in and of themselves and there is nothing man can do to change their sin status. Men without Christ, who actually think God looks at them favorably, are fools. God sees every human being. They have all turned away from God and not one of them is good in God’s estimation. All men are depraved.

Awit 14:5 “Sa malaking pagkasindak sila'y malalagay, sapagkat ang Diyos ay kasama ng salinlahi ng mga banal.” FILIPINO VERSION

     We see before us these wicked men “There” in a picture. That is upon the spot where these wicked fools practiced these insolences. The word “there” refers to the very place of their sin, where their punishment overtakes them. God points to those wicked fools as their sin as though present, that which had lately happened at a godless, immoral, unrighteous, unholy scene, where God sufficiently discovered His favour to God’s people, as well as His vengeance to the enemies of God’s people.

     Concerning the punishment for their sin, it says “were they in great fear” this is the prophetical past, that is a manifest allusion to the history happened of the Canaanitish nations, when these Canaanites were struck with terror at the sight of the Israelites, and by this allusion the Psalmist shows that a destruction similar to that which fell upon wicked canaanites, should fall on the wicked, cruel Babylonians for the future, specifically during tribulation period. So, this is implying the certainty of the coming event and that is literally in Hebrew “they feared a fear” as terror overtook them, the idea that they were in great terror or consternation. Psalm 53 adds “where no fear was.” The wicked fool fears had magnified their danger. What! these very people who could not call upon God, and claim that there is no God, can be in great fear? Yes, God can bring great fear upon these wicked fools who seem most fearless, great hearted, brave, aggressive blasphemers, who when they become ill, they are generally the most lacking courage, and easily frightened persons. When these wicked get into deep waters, these fools are the people who begin to cry, and give up what they boasted of. Yes, there were they in great fear. In the midst of their prosperity, of their secret plans, or their demands to obtain payment from someone with injustice, or their pleasures, when nothing shall be further from their thoughts that a calamity occurs, because the hand of God seizes them, and lo! they shall be surprise of the overwhelming fear.

     The word “for” gives us the reason, why their enemies have cause to tremble and the ground of the terrible destruction wherewith God shall overwhelm the oppressors of people of God, it is because God is on the side of the righteous, and it expresses the favour of God toward the righteous generation in which “God dwells”. 

     The phrase “for God is,” shows the uneasy sense that after all that Israelites has been done, the good have God on the side of these godly people. The unconditional, unchanging love of God toward God’s people.

      The Psalmist says, “for God is in the generation of the righteous.” Do not forget that, God is with His people, God always will be with His people, and when God opens His arm, God’s enemies will be possessed of fear. The word “generation” here, as applied to the righteous, seems to refer to them as a “race” or as a “class” of people.  The wicked fool, workers of iniquity feared the Israelites “For God is in the generation,” because they knew that the Almighty God was among Israelites. God is the God of Abraham, of Isaac of Jacob, and of His chosen nation Israel and implied that He is also our God, the God of the righteous, even if first applied concerning faithful Israel it is always a cause of fear to the wicked fools. The wicked could not resist the force of that evidence that God was among the righteous and that God was the friend of the righteous for there were such manifests proofs. These wicked fools were exposed to the wrath of God.

     These wicked fools might desire much and might wish much to arrive at the conclusion that there was no God.

     The wicked fool, try to be calm but they were not calm in their belief that there was no God. The wicked fool wished to satisfy themselves that there was no God, so that they had nothing to dread, but they could not do this. In spite of all their efforts, in spite of all their attempts to convince themselves that there is no God, there was such proof and reality of God’s existence that will continually press upon them, and therefore terror will often their minds.

     This Psalm 14:5 and Psalm 53:5 do not refer to the groundless alarms that are given through the conscience of the guilty wicked people as many explain, as they are quoting Leviticus 26:17 “and ye shall flee when none pursueth you”; Leviticus 26:36 “they shall fall when none pursueth.”; and Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pursueth”; but this Psalm 14:5 and Psalm 53:5 refers to the real terrors of judgment which shall suddenly overtake them (Job 15:21 “A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him”; and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,”). Notice that Psalms 53:5 proves this by substituting for "God is in the generation of the righteous," with "God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee." Therefore, there is cause, there is a ground for the wicked to fear, and it is wrong to say the wicked fool has a groundless alarm in their conscience as they feared.

     The wicked fools are living a life in fear that they are going to face an angry God who will be against them and so these wicked oppressors will be doomed. The atheistic heart of the fools that says, “there is no God” and their mistreatment of the righteous is something God takes note of and God will surely bring every fool to eternal shame and damnation. The only remedy for the wicked fool need to do is to sincerely repent or change their thinking about God, and personally turn to God.

 - - - - -To be continued - - - - -