Psalm 14:1
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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. |
To note, there is nowhere in the Bible which argues the existence of God, but assumes His existence from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. To argue the existence of our physical sun, which arises in our eastern sky and sets in our western horizon every day of the year, would be mor reasonable to argue the existence of God. The nearest approach to an argument for the existence of God in the Bible will be found twice in the Psalms, where the Psalmnist declares: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Ps 14:1; 53:1) Having paid his respects to the "fool," immediately the Psalmnist dismisses the subject and proceeds to predicate things concerning God. |
I will write bluntly on this subject as I do not even for a minute think that I can interpret this verse as meaning anything different than what it says. For here we are also told that these fools are corrupt, and “there is none that doeth good.” The fool is, in essence, a somewhat stupid, wicked, and vile man. His problem is moral, not intellectual. They have allowed themselves to be deceived in believing that there is no God. It is not a logical decision at all, but only one achieved through the acceptance of an illusionary universe created by figments of their own imagination and then tied together with whatever piece of “science” or “intellectualism” that they dare apply to it. It is no small decision they have made but it is made on only small pieces of information which they attempt to piece together and create a world view which is “logical.” They, however, cannot do this. Neither can they summon anything adequate enough to put to silence the idea that there is a God. At best they summon their own will, as weak as it is on the subject of anything permanent and eternal.
There is no middle ground in God’s spiritual economy. “Sitting on the fence” is as being “lukewarm” and God has chosen not to waste time with such people. They are ones who will bargain with God, and bargain with the truth, in hopes that maybe if they just accept the stuff they like…it will be enough. They then re-write the Bible to fit their needs and create a God who is too big or too small..but, totally nonexistent in the form they describe. They, then, have become fools…and they will find others who will share their foolishness as if they needed some kind of vindication from a fellow-fool.
God would rather a person be either hot or cold….for or against…because He can deal with a man who has made a decision. The man who makes none has nothing of substance to deal with. In that light, I will cut some grace and say that a man who is a fool is NOT a lost cause. It is the man who hangs in the balance between being a Christian or being a fool that is most lost. Sadly, anyone who has been even just a little bit observant knows the world has an over abundant supply of “fence sitters.” In politics they are moderates who tend to destroy the integrity of any party they would belong to. In Christianity, they do the same in that they tend to destroy the integrity with their lukewarm approaches to God and especially to the issue of “love.” Jesus to John did not mince words when He said He would “spew them out of his mouth.” Not a pretty picture to even consider. And even worse to consider what redeeming value their is to anything that has been spewed out of anyones mouth.
There is no middle ground in God’s spiritual economy. “Sitting on the fence” is as being “lukewarm” and God has chosen not to waste time with such people. They are ones who will bargain with God, and bargain with the truth, in hopes that maybe if they just accept the stuff they like…it will be enough. They then re-write the Bible to fit their needs and create a God who is too big or too small..but, totally nonexistent in the form they describe. They, then, have become fools…and they will find others who will share their foolishness as if they needed some kind of vindication from a fellow-fool.
God would rather a person be either hot or cold….for or against…because He can deal with a man who has made a decision. The man who makes none has nothing of substance to deal with. In that light, I will cut some grace and say that a man who is a fool is NOT a lost cause. It is the man who hangs in the balance between being a Christian or being a fool that is most lost. Sadly, anyone who has been even just a little bit observant knows the world has an over abundant supply of “fence sitters.” In politics they are moderates who tend to destroy the integrity of any party they would belong to. In Christianity, they do the same in that they tend to destroy the integrity with their lukewarm approaches to God and especially to the issue of “love.” Jesus to John did not mince words when He said He would “spew them out of his mouth.” Not a pretty picture to even consider. And even worse to consider what redeeming value their is to anything that has been spewed out of anyones mouth.
A description of the depravity of human nature, and the deplorable corruption of a great part of mankind.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. The sinner here described is an atheist, one that saith there is no Judge or Governor of the world, no Providence ruling over the affairs of men. He says this in his heart. He cannot satisfy himself that there is none, but wishes there were none, and pleases himself that it is possible there may be none; he is willing to think there is none. This sinner is a fool; he is simple and unwise, and this is evidence of it: he is wicked and profane, and this is the cause. The word of God is a discerner of these thoughts. No man will say, There is no God, till he is so hardened in sin, that it is become his interest that there should be none to call him to an account. The disease of sin has infected the whole race of mankind. They are all gone aside, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Whatever good is in any of the children of men, or is done by them, it is not of themselves, it is God's work in them. They are gone aside from the right way of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and are turned into the paths of the destroyer. Let us lament the corruption of our nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God: let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again. And we must not rest in any thing short of union with Christ, and a new creation to holiness by his Spirit. The psalmist endeavours to convince sinners of the evil and danger of their way, while they think themselves very wise, and good, and safe. Their wickedness is described. Those that care not for God's people, for God's poor, care not for God himself. People run into all manner of wickedness, because they do not call upon God for his grace. What good can be expected from those that live without prayer? But those that will not fear God, may be made to fear at the shaking of a leaf. All our knowledge of the depravity of human nature should endear to us salvation out of Zion. But in heaven alone shall the whole company of the redeemed rejoice fully, and for evermore. The world is bad; oh that the Messiah would come and change its character! There is universal corruption; oh for the times of reformation! The triumphs of Zion's King will be the joys of Zion's children. The second coming of Christ, finally to do away the dominion of sin and Satan, will be the completing of this salvation, which is the hope, and will be the joy of every Israelite indeed. With this assurance we should comfort ourselves and one another, under the sins of sinners and sufferings of saints. --Matthew Henrys Commentary
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. The sinner here described is an atheist, one that saith there is no Judge or Governor of the world, no Providence ruling over the affairs of men. He says this in his heart. He cannot satisfy himself that there is none, but wishes there were none, and pleases himself that it is possible there may be none; he is willing to think there is none. This sinner is a fool; he is simple and unwise, and this is evidence of it: he is wicked and profane, and this is the cause. The word of God is a discerner of these thoughts. No man will say, There is no God, till he is so hardened in sin, that it is become his interest that there should be none to call him to an account. The disease of sin has infected the whole race of mankind. They are all gone aside, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Whatever good is in any of the children of men, or is done by them, it is not of themselves, it is God's work in them. They are gone aside from the right way of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and are turned into the paths of the destroyer. Let us lament the corruption of our nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God: let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again. And we must not rest in any thing short of union with Christ, and a new creation to holiness by his Spirit. The psalmist endeavours to convince sinners of the evil and danger of their way, while they think themselves very wise, and good, and safe. Their wickedness is described. Those that care not for God's people, for God's poor, care not for God himself. People run into all manner of wickedness, because they do not call upon God for his grace. What good can be expected from those that live without prayer? But those that will not fear God, may be made to fear at the shaking of a leaf. All our knowledge of the depravity of human nature should endear to us salvation out of Zion. But in heaven alone shall the whole company of the redeemed rejoice fully, and for evermore. The world is bad; oh that the Messiah would come and change its character! There is universal corruption; oh for the times of reformation! The triumphs of Zion's King will be the joys of Zion's children. The second coming of Christ, finally to do away the dominion of sin and Satan, will be the completing of this salvation, which is the hope, and will be the joy of every Israelite indeed. With this assurance we should comfort ourselves and one another, under the sins of sinners and sufferings of saints. --Matthew Henrys Commentary