Read Psalm 14:
To the choirmaster. Of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? 5 There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You would shame the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Understand Psalm 14:
A. Evil and the Fool (vv. 1-3)
When we watch the news, we can easily be overwhelmed. In mere minutes, we might find ourselves burdened by the evils in our world. David feels that same distress in Psalm 14:1-3. Certain fools have decided in their hearts that there is no God. Yet apart from God, corrupt people can do no good and have no power to even please him. As Romans 5 informs us, sin entered the world through Adam and stained mankind. Thus, Yahweh, looking down from heaven, cannot find anyone wise who seeks after him (Ps 14:2). No one escapes his condemnation—not even one! (see Rom 3:10-12). All are guilty in a messed up world that is burdened by evil.
Like David, we find comfort in the God who sees this all. He is not only sovereign over man’s fallenness, but also his own plan for redemption in Christ. Thus, we can bring our concerns to the one who knows all things and will one day bring judgment against sin.
B. Evil and the Believer (vv. 4-6)
It seems strange of David to paint such broad strokes about the evils of humanity, then refer to “the generation of the righteous” (v. 5). Yet in God’s eternal plan of redemption, he chose a special nation out of all the peoples of the earth (Deut 7:6-10). He set his name upon Israel and made a covenant with her. Through Abraham, who was called righteous for his faith, God called out a believing people (Rom 4:3). Through Christ, this community of faith was then extended to the church. So today, from every tribe and tongue, God has chosen a people for himself (1 Pet 2:9-10) and has cleansed their sin-stained lives through the death and resurrection of his Son.
Our Lord Jesus also experienced the burden of evil in this fallen world. He died on a cross to declare us righteous and to reverse the course of our corruption. He actively shields us against the assault of evildoers and his Spirit empowers us to overcome sin. If we are in Christ, then God is in us. As we rejoice in prayer over this great hope, we thank the Lord for his constant presence and unfailing protection.
C. Evil Ended by the Lord (v. 7)
Finally, in verse 7, we consider the greatest hope for the believer burdened by evil. David cries out over the evil in his world: “May salvation come out of Zion for Israel! In this way God will restore the fortunes of His people—God’s people will rejoice and be glad!” Suffering believers express great relief that God will bring peace and justice to the earth by his perfect rule. He will wipe away every tear and remove all evil. He will make the twisted things straight and good.
When we are burdened by evil, we discover hope by looking forward to God’s perfect future. We set our gaze on the glories to come, instead of on the present corruption. We look with longing toward that final day when Messiah—the salvation of Israel—will emerge from Zion to defeat his enemies. God will repay with judgment all the evil before him, including our own sins of hating him and harming others. He will send evildoers to hell’s lake of fire (Rev 20:15), but will accept Christ’s death on behalf of those who believed in him. Christ Jesus is the sinner’s only hope in a hopeless world—the only salvation for those hell-bent on evil. Therefore, believers must not remain burdened by the world around us, for we lift up our heads to see that future day when God will redeem all things. That glorious day of salvation is closer now than when we first believed (Rom 13:11).
Apply Psalm 14:
- Our culture tells us that people are inherently good, but David claims the opposite (vv. 1-3). Identify some examples that show how humanity, as a whole, is corrupt.
- What evil do you see in your life which causes you grief? Remember that God also sees it, then bring it to him as the one who knows your burden and comforts you by his presence.
- What are some ways that believers suffer under the weight of evil (vv. 4-6)? How have you personally suffered for your faith in Jesus and how have you seen the Lord defend you? Thank your Savior who defends the defenseless.
- How does David use a prayer of exclamation to turn his heart from despair over evil to a confident hope in God (v. 7)? What do Christians look forward to that helps them bear up under evil? Find time this week to point a fellow Christian toward future hope.
Pray Psalm 14:
- Lord, I see so much evil in this world and the suffering that results (vv. 1, 3), but I know that you see these evils also (v. 2).
- Please defend your people from the assault of evildoers (v. 4-6).
- Help me look forward to your coming and to live in such a way that reflects my expectation (v. 7).
Counsel Psalm 14:
Believers often find themselves burdened by the evil they encounter in a fallen world. Sometimes this evil affects them through personal relationships, but also through witnessing the wickedness around them. Psalm 14 condemns the God-denying fool, while also bolstering the Christian’s faith in God. Point your counselees to the hope of the gospel only found in Christ.
* This guest post is based on a sermon by Kalle Limit which you can hear in its entirety at www.nlcwh.org.
