No One Does Good, Not One
Psalm 14 summary: what it means
Psalm 14 looks at people who act as if God is not there. It opens with the fool who says in his heart that there is no God, and it links that belief to corrupt and abominable deeds. The LORD then looks down from heaven to find anyone who understands and seeks God. The verdict is stark: all have turned aside, and no one does good, not one.
The second half turns to the victims. Evildoers eat up God's people as if they were bread and never call on the LORD, yet they end up in great fear, because God is with the righteous. The poor have the LORD as their refuge. The psalm closes with a longing for salvation to come out of Zion and for Israel to be glad.
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Psalm 14: No One Does Good, Not One
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-14
Psalm 14 commentary: explained verse by verse
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”They are corrupt.They have done abominable deeds.There is no one who does good.
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.
The fool's denial is said in his heart, not argued out loud. The psalm ties it directly to behaviour: they are corrupt and do abominable deeds. The verse ends with a sweeping line, there is no one who does good.
Also read Psalm 53:1, Romans 3:10-12, Genesis 6:5, Proverbs 1:22
The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men,to see if there were any who understood,who sought after God.
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
The scene shifts to heaven. The LORD looks down on the children of men to see if anyone understands and seeks God. The verse sets up a search whose result comes in verse 3.
Also read Romans 3:11, Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 33:13-14, Psalm 107:43
They have all gone aside.They have together become corrupt.There is no one who does good, no, not one.
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
The result of the search is total. All have gone aside and become corrupt together, and no one does good, no, not one. The repetition from verse 1 makes the point heavier, and the words all and together leave no one out.
Also read Jeremiah 2:13, Isaiah 53:6, Ezekiel 36:25, Exodus 8:31
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,who eat up my people as they eat bread,and don’t call on the LORD?
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.
The speaker asks whether evildoers have no knowledge at all. They eat up God's people as they eat bread, as casually as a meal, and they do not call on the LORD. The fool's belief from verse 1 shows up here as cruelty to others.
Also read Psalm 27:2, Romans 1:21-22, Micah 3:2-3, Romans 1:28
There they were in great fear,for God is in the generation of the righteous.
There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
The tables turn. Those who seemed so confident are found in great fear, and the reason given is that God is in the generation of the righteous. The psalm does not say what caused the fear, only why.
Also read Exodus 15:16, Isaiah 12:6, Proverbs 1:26-27, Matthew 1:23
You frustrate the plan of the poor,because the LORD is his refuge.
Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
The evildoers frustrate the plan of the poor. The verse answers that the LORD is the poor man's refuge. Their plan can be frustrated, but their refuge is not touched.
Also read Psalm 3:2, Psalm 46:1, Daniel 3:15, Ezekiel 35:10
Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
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.
The psalm ends with a wish rather than a statement: that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion. When the LORD restores his people's fortunes, Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad. It moves from diagnosis to hope.
Also read Psalm 85:1, Psalm 53:6
A prayer from Psalm 14
LORD, you look down from heaven to see if any understand and seek after you. I want to be one who seeks you. Keep me from saying in my heart that there is no God, and from living as if that were true. Guard me from treating people as though they were bread to be eaten. You are the refuge of the poor, and you are with the generation of the righteous. Let your salvation come. Restore the fortunes of your people, and let us rejoice and be glad. Amen.
Psalm 14 Bible study questions
- In verse 1, what does the fool say, and where does he say it?
- In verse 2, what is the LORD looking for when he looks down from heaven?
- Verse 1 places the fool's words in his heart rather than his mouth; how might a person live as if there is no God while saying otherwise?
- Verse 6 says the LORD is the refuge of the poor; what do you make of the poor being named here?
- Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are almost the same psalm; comparing Psalm 14:1 with Psalm 53:1, what differences do you notice?
Questions about Psalm 14
What does Psalm 14:1 mean?
It describes the fool as someone who says in his heart that there is no God, and it links that belief to corrupt and abominable deeds. The point is about how people live, not only what they think.
What do Psalm 14:1 to 3 say?
Together they describe a world where no one does good. The fool denies God, the LORD looks down to find anyone who seeks him, and finds that all have turned aside, no, not one.
Who wrote Psalm 14?
The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician. The psalm does not describe a specific occasion.
What does Psalm 14:1 say in the KJV?
The King James Version reads: "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."
Does Psalm 14 end in hope?
Yes. After describing corruption and fear, it closes by longing for salvation to come out of Zion, when the LORD restores his people and Israel is glad.
Psalm 14 KJV: the King James Version
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.1
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.2
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.3
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.4
There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.5
Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.6
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.7
Psalm 14 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִילָ֗ה אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֽוֹב׃
2 יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֪יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃
3 הַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֪ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃
4 הֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ כָּל־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃
5 שָׁ֤ם ׀ פָּ֣חֲדוּ פָ֑חַד כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בְּד֣וֹר צַדִּֽיק׃
6 עֲצַת־עָנִ֥י תָבִ֑ישׁוּ כִּ֖י יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסֵֽהוּ׃
7 מִ֥י יִתֵּ֣ן מִצִּיּוֹן֮ יְשׁוּעַ֪ת יִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה שְׁב֣וּת עַמּ֑וֹ יָגֵ֥ל יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב יִשְׂמַ֥ח יִשְׂרָֽאֵל׃
Psalm 14 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 13 there.
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1 Unto the end, a psalm for David. The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God, They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways: there is none that doth good, no not one.
2 The Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there be any that understand and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they acted deceitfully; the poison of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and unhappiness in their ways: and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
4 Shall not all they know that work iniquity, who devour my people as they eat bread?
5 They have not called upon the Lord: there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear.
6 For the Lord is in the just generation: you have confounded the counsel of the poor man, but the Lord is his hope.
7 Who shall give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? when the Lord shall have turned away the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad.
Psalm 14 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 13.
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1 In finem. Psalmus David. Dixit insipiens in corde suo: Non est Deus. Corrupti sunt, et abominabiles facti sunt in studiis suis; non est qui faciat bonum, non est usque ad unum.
2 Dominus de cælo prospexit super filios hominum, ut videat si est intelligens, aut requirens Deum.
3 Omnes declinaverunt, simul inutiles facti sunt. Non est qui faciat bonum, non est usque ad unum. Sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum; linguis suis dolose agebant. Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum, quorum os maledictione et amaritudine plenum est; veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem. Contritio et infelicitas in viis eorum, et viam pacis non cognoverunt; non est timor Dei ante oculos eorum.
4 Nonne cognoscent omnes qui operantur iniquitatem, qui devorant plebem meam sicut escam panis?
5 Dominum non invocaverunt; illic trepidaverunt timore, ubi non erat timor.
6 Quoniam Dominus in generatione justa est: consilium inopis confudistis, quoniam Dominus spes ejus est.
7 Quis dabit ex Sion salutare Israël? Cum averterit Dominus captivitatem plebis suæ, exsultabit Jacob, et lætabitur Israël.
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Psalm 14 at a glance
| Verses | 7 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. By David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician. |
| Type | Wisdom |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 13 |
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Psalm 14 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 14 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 14 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 1 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source