A fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They cause ruin. They cause abhorrent wantonness. There are none who do good. (Psalm 14:1).
This psalm’s prophetic message describes mankind’s condition today, along with Israel’s restoration after the tribulation period, when their Savior comes out of Zion.
The fool says there is no God. They seek to explain life based upon disproven theories and assumptions that go against the evidence. In creation, God made His invisible attributes known to all humans (Romans 1:20). The one who looks at creation and rejects the notion of God lets his mind wander from the truth (Romans 1:28).
Paul quotes this psalm in Roman 3 as he explains that both Jew and Gentile are under sin (Romans 3:9). They have all turned aside; they have together become corrupt (Psalm 14:3). None understand, nor does anyone seek God (Psalm 14:2; Romans 3:11).
In previous dispensations, those who believed in God sought Him. Since they had to seek God out from faith, those who sought Him found Him (Hebrews 11:6). In this dispensation—the dispensation of grace—God is the one seeking, for no one is seeking Him (Romans 3:11).
No one does kindness, for all have turned away (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:12). Kindness is an aspect of love that puts others at ease. It is a friendly disposition (1 Corinthians 13:4). The quality of love that humans express is a willingness to sacrifice for what they want, not to make others feel at ease (Luke 11:43). Thus, all have become unprofitable in their ways (Romans 3:12).
Do all the workers of perversity not possess knowledge? Those who eat up the people like bread and do not call upon the Lord (Psalm 14:4). There dreading they will dread, for God is with the generation of the righteous (Psalm 14:5). They shame the counsel of the humble, but the Lord is a refuge for the humble (Psalm 14:6).
The Savior will come out of Zion and the LORD will bring back the captives of His people (Psalm 14:7). The deliverer will come out of Zion and the remnant of Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will return with His saints, setting His feet on Mount Olivet, splitting it from the dead sea to the Mediterranean sea (Zechariah 14:4). Out of Zion He will come and rescue Israel from the wilderness (Isaiah 59:20; 63:1–4).
