AUTHOR:  This Psalm is attributed to David in the title, and all historical evidence points to this as well, and with this we concur.

OCCASION:  The Psalm is a general depiction and condemnation of the attitude on the part of many that God is not real, and would fit well into most any period of the life of the author.  There is nothing in the psalm itself, nor in the uninspired historical record, to shed any light on the specific occasion, and we are therefore left to study the psalm without the specific occasion being known.  The lessons apply broadly, and we are none the weaker for the lack of information concerning this point.

OUTLINE:  The psalm is divided into the following five points, as offered by Barnes (abbreviated):  I. A statement of prevalent depravity, particularly in denying the existence of God, (verse 1).  II. The evidence of the prevalence of Atheism, (verses 2-3).  III. Those denying God lack the confidence of their convictions and the ease of life they thought such a denial would bring, (verses 4-5).  IV. Their denial of God was designed to bring shame to the counsel of the poor, whole sole trust for help was the God denied by these evil ones, (verse 6).  V. The Psalm closes with a prayer that God would interpose and deliver the "poor" from the clutches of the evil.

1     THE FOOL  "The word fool is often used in the Scriptures to denote a wicked man -- as sin is the essence of folly" (Barnes).  Such is the case in this verse, those described as fools were wicked men.  They lived their very lives in the context of foolishness, i.e. contending that the one who made the world and all things therein did not exist.  Job's wife endeavored to make him deny God, and he used a similar word in his response to her:  BUT HE SAID UNTO HER, THOU SPEAKEST AS ONE OF THE FOOLISH WOMEN SPEAKETH.  WHAT?  SHALL WE RECEIVE GOOD AT THE HAND OF GOD, AND SHALL WE NOT  RECEIVE EVIL? IN ALL THIS DID NOT JOB SIN WITH HIS LIPS. (Job 2:10).  The same word is applied to those who blasphemed the Lord in Psalm 74:18 -- REMEMBER THIS, THAT  THE ENEMY HATH REPROACHED, O LORD, AND THAT  THE FOOLISH PEOPLE HAVE BLASPHEMED THY  NAME.   When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite defiled Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, the word "folly" was used in this same sinful sense to describe his actions:  AND THE SONS OF JACOB CAME OUT OF THE FIELD WHEN THEY HEARD IT:  AND THE MEN WERE GRIEVED, AND THEY WERE VERY WROTH, BECAUSE HE HAD WROUGHT FOLLY IN ISRAEL IN LYING WITH JACOB'S DAUGHTER; WHICH THING OUGHT NOT BE DONE. (Genesis 34:7).  In describing the sin of a woman who was presented to her prospective husband as a virgin, when in reality she was not a virgin, the word "folly" was used:  THEN THEY SHALL BRING OUT THE DAMSEL TO THE DOOR OF HER FATHER'S HOUSE, AND THE MEN OF HER CITY SHALL STONE HER WITH STONES THAT SHE DIE:  BECAUSE SHE HATH WROUGHT FOLLY IN ISRAEL, TO PLAY THE WHORE IN HER FATHER'S HOUSE:  SO SHALT THOU PUT AWAY EVIL FROM ISRAEL.  (Deuteronomy 22:21).  Though other passages could be offered, the point we wish to drive home is evident from those offered:  It is utter foolishness to endeavor to live in sin, whatever the sin, knowing that God is real.  A fool, then, is one who by confession or actions denies God.  HATH SAID  More properly, HAS THOUGHT, as the reference is to what is in the mind of the fool.  The biblical heart, or mind, is the seat of all things good or evil (cf. Proverbs 23:7).  IN HIS HEART  He may not have expressed these thoughts openly, though this is not excluded.  The point  is that he believes these things under consideration.  There seems to be an indication that he enjoyed the thought of his heart concerning these things, and that he has based his conduct in life on what he considers to be these "facts".  THERE IS NO GOD  The words "there is" are not in the original, but their addition does no serious harm to the verse.  The idea is that in the heart (mind) of the one called a fool, God does not exist.  They were atheists.  Although not called for specifically by the words used, the intent seems to be that they were falsely confident and sinfully rejoiced in this thought.  Many "foolish" of our day still endeavor to deny the existence of God, and though by works and words they deny Him, they shall never in this life, or the one that is to come, successfully deny His Existence.  THEY ARE CORRUPT  That is, their deeds are corrupted, they are given to impurities and things that defile.  THEY HAVE DONE ABOMINABLE WORKS  "Abominable" carries with it the idea of that which is to be  hated  or  detested,  specifically  because  it  is  sinful.
These who gloried in things they considered to disprove God, conducted themselves in such a way as to invoke the wrath of God.  Their deeds were such as to warrant righteous indignation on the part of the godly.  Their deeds were hateful to God.  THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD.  Though some take this as a blanket statement affirming the Calvinistic depravity with which all men are born, I do not.  This is in specific reference to the things men do, and specifically here refers to those who deny God.  Paul invokes this verse in Romans 3:10 in a broader sense, but the point is still the same:  Men do wicked things, all men, everywhere.  As it applies here, the point is that these who deny God in their heart profess such by their actions.  They live lives that are devoid of goodness.

2     THE LORD LOOKED DOWN FROM HEAVEN  The word used for "looked down" indicates a serious and concentrated "looking", a bending forward so as to examine the circumstances.  UPON THE CHILDREN OF MEN  That is, on the world.  Specifically the intent is upon those of the context who have denied God.  TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY THAT DID UNDERSTAND  This is the specific motivation of His examination.  We might well state it as a question:  Are there any among these who understand the truth concerning the reality of God?  AND SEEK GOD  Are there any of these wicked ones who even endeavor to find the God they are denying?  The Calvinist tries to apply these words to all men, contending that there was not even one righteous man in all the world because of the "sin" "inherited" from Adam, but the Psalm itself implies that some righteous men did indeed exist in the world with such references as "...the poor, because the Lord is his refuge..." and etc.  The important thing to remember is that the Psalmist is considering the group of men who denied God, and these are intently examined by God for any sign of goodness.

3     THEY ARE ALL GONE ASIDE  They, the ones who denied God, were no longer in  the path of righteousness.  This phrase was also  used to describe the Israelites and their behavior in making the calf of gold:  THEY HAVE TURNED ASIDE QUICKLY OUT OF THE WAY WHICH I COMMANDED THEM:  THEY HAVE MADE THEM A MOLTEN CALF, AND HAVE WORSHIPPED IT, AND HAVE SACRIFICED THEREUNTO, AND SAID, THESE BE THY GODS, O ISRAEL, WHICH HAVE BROUGHT   THEE   UP   OUT  OF  THE  LAND  OF  EGYPT.
(Exodus 32:8).  The idea is that of one who departs, or turns out of the right way, preferring the way that is wrong to the way that is right.   The Hebrew word used here also often indicates apostasy in general, not only a denial of God and His existence, but a leaving of His will while still professing faith in Him:  AND SAMUEL SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, FEAR NOT:  YE HAVE DONE ALL THIS WICKEDNESS:  YET TURN NOT ASIDE FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD, BUT SERVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART; AND TURN YE NOT ASIDE:  FOR THEN SHOULD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS, WHICH CANNOT PROFIT NOR DELIVER; FOR THEY ARE VAIN.  (I Samuel 12:20-21).  Though their past actions were sinful, Samuel calls them back to faithfulness, indicating that they knew of their sin and were in a position to rectify themselves in God's sight.  In describing Hezekiah and his life, the inspired record says:  FOR HE CLAVE TO THE LORD, AND DEPARTED NOT FROM FOLLOWING HIM, BUT KEPT HIS COMMANDMENTS, WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES. (II Kings 18:6).  So, from these two references, we see that to turn aside is to leave God, either by denying Him and His existence or by ignoring His will for our lives.  THEY ARE ALL TOGETHER BECOME FILTHY  Again, the reference is to those who have denied God, and the point is:  In this they are united, they progressively becom filthy by their deeds, such things as are done by those who deny God.  THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.  The specific reference is still to the ones of the context.  Paul (Romans 3:23) applies the words more broadly, but the psalmist is pointing to those under consideration here.  Paul's point is that all men choose to do evil, the Psalmist's point is that these specific Atheists have lived lives which clearly identify them as Atheists.  Their denial of God did not benefit them nor society.  As we look at our world today, is there any abiding good in the Atheists contributions to society?  Is this world a better place because some reject the existence of God?

4     HAVE ALL THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY NO KNOWLEDGE?  Specifically the "workers of iniquity" are those of this psalm, those who have denied God's existence.  The question is, essentially:  HAVE ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DENIED GOD NO PERCEPTION OF REALITY?  DO THEY NOT KNOW THE FOLLY OF THEIR POSITION?  WHO EAT UP MY PEOPLE AS THEY EAT BREAD  That is, these who have denied God profited at the expense of the godly.  Not only did they so profit, but they did it without regard to the sin they were committing, it was as commonplace to them as eating bread.  AND CALL NOT UPON THE LORD  Certainly they needed to call upon the Lord for forgiveness, but they nonchalantly persisted in their sin with no hesitation and with no thought of the consequences of their actions.

5     THERE WERE THEY IN GREAT FEAR:  Literally, THEY FEARED A GREAT FEAR.  The idea is that these who denied God tried to be confident in their denial but were unable to assert such confidence.  Despite their denial, and despite their attempts at reassurance, they still found such evidence in favor of Him as to instill   within their hearts a terrible dread.  They knew that God was (is) for the righteous, and consequently against such as themselves, and this was the cause of great unrest in their hearts.  FOR GOD IS IN THE GENERATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS  This is the reason for their fear.  God was for the ones they were against.

6     YE HAVE SHAMED  This is addressed directly to those who denied God.  They shamed, or mocked, held in derision -- THE COUNSEL  The purpose, the plan.  OF THE POOR  That class of individuals oppressed and misused by these wicked men.  Their purpose for living was God, He was their refuge, their protector.  Their course of life was such as to scoff at, or mock and laugh at, the one who was the protector and salvation of the poor.  BECAUSE THE LORD IS HIS REFUGE  The reality of the situation was this:  God is the safe place of hiding for the oppressed and these atheists denied the One who protected the poor.  The poor trusted in the existence of God for comfort whereas the wicked looked for evidence that there is no God and tried to comfort themselves with that.  It is clear that the poor would come to final rest and comfort, and that these would not.  Has atheism any more to offer us?  Is there any hope for man in atheism?  Does not atheism imply that man has simply what he can get in the course of life?

7     OH THAT THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL WERE COME OUT OF ZION!  The literal translation is:  Who will give out of Zion salvation to Israel?  The point is this:  God will present the faithful (Israel) with salvation, despite the denials and efforts of the wicked to prevent it.  WHEN THE LORD BRINGETH BACK  That is, when the Lord removes, or takes away...  THE CAPTIVITY   Specifically here the condition of being oppressed by the atheists.   OF HIS PEOPLE   "His people" then were the people of Israel, now "his people" are the church.  The point is simply that God will come as a great deliverer of those who faithfully trust in and serve Him.  This would happen despite the denials of the wicked.  JACOB SHALL REJOICE, AND ISRAEL SHALL BE GLAD.  The atheist would search for comfort and joy in their denials of God, but there would always be the "great fear" in their soul; Israel on the other hand, would find joy in His existence.  She would be comforted and the wicked punished.

QUESTIONS:  PSALM FOURTEEN

1.To whom is this Psalm attributed in the title? _________________

2.Is the occasion of this Psalm known? _______________________

3.What is the word "fool" often used to indicate? _______________

4.How did Job describe the words of his wife? _________________

5.Who had "blasphemed" the name of God? ___________________

6.Whose son was Shechem? _______________________________

7.How did the sons of Jacob describe his sin? _________________

8.How was the sin of the woman falsely presented to her husband as a virgin described? ___________________________________

9.A fool, then, is one who by ______________ or ___________ _______________ God.

10.The _______________ _________ is the seat of all things...

11.What did the fool say in his heart? _________________________

12.What word do we use to describe such? ____________________

13.They are ____________, they have done _____________ _____.

14.What does "abominable" mean? ___________________________

15.To whom does the  phrase  "there is none that doeth good"  refer
as used in this Psalm? __________________________________

16.What does the word translated "looked down" mean? __________
____________________________________________________

17.Upon whom did the Lord look down? _______________________

18.Specifically, who did this indicate in our context? _____________

19.Does verse 2 teach Calvinism? ___________________________

20.Where were they all "gone"? _____________________________

21.What were they all together become? ______________________

22.How many among them had done good? ____________________

23.Have all the ____________ of _______________ no  knowledge?

24.How did they "eat up" the people of God? ___________________

25.Upon whom did they not call? ____________________________

26.Literally, what does the phrase THERE WERE THEY IN GREAT FEAR mean? _________________________________________

27.Where was God said to be? ______________________________

28.What does the word "shamed", as used here, mean? __________
____________________________________________________

29.Who is the refuge of the poor? ____________________________

30.What does "bringeth back" mean? _________________________

31.What was the specific captivity referred to? _________________

32.Who were the Lord's people then? _________________________

33.Who are they now? _____________________________________

34.What will be the final attitude of the righteous (Jacob and Israel)?
____________________________________________________

REVIEW

     The following are questions and mental exercises taken from earlier studies in the Psalms.  You may need to look back in the class material to find the answers.

1.What does "blessed" mean? _____________________________

2.In what does the blessed not delight? ______________________

3.In what shall the wicked not stand? ________________________

4.Whose way does the Lord know? _________________________

5.Whose way shall perish? ________________________________

6.What does "heathen" mean? _____________________________

7.Who is "he that sitteth in the heavens"? ____________________

8.Where is the "hill of Zion"? _______________________________

9.With what would the Messiah break in pieces His enemies? _____
____________________________________________________

10.With what are we to serve the Lord? _______________________

11.Who penned Psalm 3? __________________________________

12.What occasioned this song? ______________________________

13.With what did David cry unto the Lord? _____________________

14.What did God do concerning this cry? ______________________

15.Of whom would David not be afraid? _______________________

16.What had God done for David when he was in distress? _______
____________________________________________________

17.In what were the enemies of David to "stand"? _______________

18.What had God put in David's heart? _______________________
 
19.What 2 things would David do in peace? ____________________
____________________________________________________

20.Who made him to dwell in safety? _________________________

21.To what did David ask God to "give ear"? ___________________

22.What was God to hear "in the morning"? ____________________

23.What shall not dwell with God? ____________________________

24.Who will not be able to stand in God's sight? _________________

25.What does "leasing" mean? ______________________________

26.In what would David worship God? ________________________

27.Were the worshippers of the Mosaic economy allowed to enter into the temple to worship? ______________________________

28.In what did David desire to be led? ________________________

29.What will God do to the righteous? ________________________

30.For what is a shield used? _______________________________

31.In what did the psalmist not wish to be rebuked? _____________

32.In what did he not wish to be chastened? ___________________

33.What did he wish to "be upon" him? ________________________

34.Why did he make this request? ___________________________

35.Why did he seek to be healed? ___________________________

36.For the sake of what did the psalmist wish to be saved? _______
____________________________________________________

37.Is it possible for one to turn to God after death? ______________

38.Who shall give thanks in the grave? ________________________

39.Why was the Psalmist's eye consumed? ____________________

40.Why was it "waxed old"? _________________________________

41.In whom did David put his trust? __________________________

42.From whom did he desire to be saved? _____________________

43.What will the Lord do to the people? _______________________

44.What did the psalmist wish to come to an end? _______________

45.With whom is God angry every day? _______________________

46.In what had the wicked travailed? _________________________

47.What had the wicked conceived? __________________________

48.What had the wicked brought forth? _______________________

49.Whom (what) would the psalmist praise? ____________________

50.According to what would he praise Him? ____________________

51.Out of what has God ordained strength? ____________________

52.What are the works of God's fingers? ______________________

53.Man was made a little lower than...what? ___________________

54.Over what did God allow man to have dominion? _____________

55.What has been put "under his feet"? _______________________

56.Whom would David praise? ______________________________

57.With what would he praise Him? __________________________

58.What would David "shew forth"? __________________________

59.In whom would the psalmist rejoice and be glad? _____________

60.For how long will the Lord endure? ________________________

61.In what will God judge the world? __________________________

62.In what will He minister judgment? _________________________

63.For whom will the Lord be a refuge? _______________________

64.Whose cry is not forgotten by God? ________________________

65.What was taken in the net the wicked had laid? ______________

66.By what is the Lord known? ______________________________

67.Where shall the wicked be turned? ________________________

68.What about the nations that forget God? ____________________

69.In what did David ask God to put the heathen? _______________

70.For what reason did he ask this? __________________________

71.When was God said to have hidden himself? ________________

72.In what did David say the wicked would be taken? ____________

73.Do the wicked acknowledge God? _________________________

74.What does "cursing" mean? ______________________________

75.What does "deceit" mean? _______________________________

76.What does "fraud" mean? ________________________________

77.Where does the wicked "sit"? _____________________________

78.What had the wicked said in his heart? _____________________

79.What would God do to the heart of the humble? ______________

80.Of what was a bow made? _______________________________

81.With what was the bow bent? _____________________________

82.What does "privily" mean? _______________________________

83.Where is the Lord? _____________________________________

84.Where is the Lord's throne? ______________________________

85.Who sits on a throne? __________________________________

86.Is there anything God cannot see? ________________________

87.Upon the wicked God would rain...what? ____________________

88.To what event did "fire and brimstone" probably refer? _________
____________________________________________________

89.What does "an horrible tempest" indicate? __________________

90.What does the righteous Lord love? _______________________

91.What does "flattering lips" mean? __________________________

92.Literally, what was one with a double heart? _________________

93.What will the Lord do to the flattering lips? __________________

94.Does this mean that He would surgically remove them? ________

95.For how long will God afford the righteous protection? _________

96.What did David say God had hidden from him? _______________

97.Where had he taken counsel? ____________________________

98.What was daily in his heart? ______________________________

99.Who was exalted over him? ______________________________

100.What sleep did David fear? _____________________________

101.Who had blasphemed the name of God? ___________________

102.Whose son was Shechem? _____________________________

103.What did the fool say in his heart? ________________________

104.Who is the refuge of the poor? ___________________________

105.Who are God's people today? ___________________________

MATCHING

     Match the word or words in the column on the left with the word or words in the column on the right.

_____SEPHER TEHILLIM                    1.Happy

_____PSALMOS                                   2.Leasing

_____Wrote 73 Psalms                           3.Rage

_____Wrote 12 Psalms                           4.Ungodly

_____Wrote 11 Psalms                           5.David

_____Wrote 2 Psalms                             6.Grievous

_____Wrote Psalm 90                            7.Greek Title to Psalms

_____Wrote Psalm 88                             8.Messiah

_____Wrote Psalm 89                            9.Solomon

_____Blessed                                       10.Heathen

_____Like wind-driven chaff                  11.Asaph

_____Anointed One                               12.Croucheth

_____Nations                                        13.Ethan

_____Make noise or tumult                     14.Sons of Korah

_____Lying                                            15.Hebrew Title to Psalms

_____Defiled, hard, filthy                        16.Moses

_____Breaks in pieces                             17.Heman