A LAMENT FOR A WICKED WORLD

Passage: Psalm 14:1-7

Key verse: 7

NIV

Psalm 14(A)
For the director of music. Of David.

1 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.

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

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?(J)

They devour my people(K) as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.(L)
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.(M)

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!(N)
    When the Lord restores(O) his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 14:1 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.

14 (A)The (B)fool says in his heart, (C)“There is no God.”
    They are (D)corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    (E)there is none who does good.

2 The Lord (F)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,[a]
    who (G)seek after God.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become (H)corrupt;
    there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have they no (I)knowledge, all the evildoers
    who (J)eat up my people as they eat bread
    and (K)do not call upon the Lord?

5 There they are in great terror,
    for God is with (L)the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
    but[b] the Lord is his (M)refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord (N)restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 14:2 Or that act wisely
  2. Psalm 14:6 Or for
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The wicked don’t believe in the God who cares about right and wrong and the God who calls us to love our neighbor. They reject wisdom as well as unbiased expert opinions if they don’t agree with their own agendas. Their selfish and greedy lifestyle oppresses the poor and puts their lives in danger.

But God is the refuge for the poor and oppressed. We must cry out to God for justice and salvation. God works to restore those who earnestly seek him. God gives new life to the dead and can even change the hearts of the wicked. Even though it seems there is no one who does good, God loves and cares for humankind and wants no one to perish (2 Pet 3:9).

Prayer: Lord, save us from the wicked. Save us also from our own sins and unbelief.

One Word: Save us!