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.

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

Key Outline:
1. v. 1-3 The lament
v. 4-6 The foolishness of the wicked
v. 7 The praise

Key Observation:
Here is a passage that is part of the foundation of Paul’s argument in Romans 3. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Memory Verse:
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.

Devotion:
Today I had the good fortune to find an old friend at the very restaurant my wife and I usually eat at. She is a venerable perky saint in her nineties and we enjoyed her insight in many of her perspicacious remarks. Telling of her four year old grandson, she remarked on an incident where she shared some of her ice cream with the grandson, and then asked the grandson if he would share a bit of his ice cream with her. He refused and she pointed out patiently to him that it was not fair of him not to share since she had already willingly shared her portion with him. He replied, “It’s not fair for you, but it’s fair for me.”

Thinking of this psalm, I thought to apply the misunderstanding of the 4 year old to that of the ungodly. All men, I am told, are coming to judgment, and will face their Maker. The psalm tells us the LORD looks to see if there are any who understand and seek God. I wonder if on that day, the day of judgment, if the plea of the children of men will be like that of the 4 year old. Will they plea on that day for fairness for themselves? Yet our God is merciful and patient, calling every man to abandon his sin and find redemption in Christ.

Here I am, nearly at the end of all things—for being about 60 years of age my life will shortly expire or He will return, and the Tribulation will begin. I look about me, two thousand years since our Lord came and I see so much falseness, doctrine, and also every kind of impure living. Milton said, “Let her [truth] and Falsehood grapple, who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?” I wonder what Milton would say today. We have secured the most open and free government of which mankind could conceive, but still errors and falsehood reign. Truth has had her chance to triumph; at every turn of history she has been bested by Falsehood. When the Son of Man returns will he find faith on the earth? Or will He just find many of us trying to live lives that are “fair for me, but not for you?”

The last verse: “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,” tells me that David is again used in a Messianic fashion. He foretells of the redemption and rescue of Israel at that time. Why does he use the word captivity? Israel was not captive during David’s life for that came thrice—twice in the Old Testament, and once during New Testament times. I am not at all sure, but let me suggest an idea. Was David given the prescience to see that all the Israelites were indeed captive to sin? Know of a certainty that redemption draws near, both for the church and for Israel. God will not tarry much longer.