Psalm 14 - A Company Of Fools!!!
Foolishness…
Normally, defining foolishness is actually a hard thing to do. Firstly, it is a subjective notion, meaning that we all have a slightly different idea of what it means and looks like to us. And secondly, as we age and grow older, we tend to change our perception of what we see as being foolish. As a young person diving off of a a cliff or a rocky ledge into dubious waters is exciting and adventurous. While the same event to a person in their 50’s seems like a foolish thing to do.
In the biblical stories and scriptures, foolishness is linked with godlessness and ungodly behaviour. The foolish behaviours that are mentioned throughout the bible - like lawlessness, violence, drunkenness, debauchery, lying, and juvenile actions - are all expressions of a person not living according to righteousness.
King David knew what this was like because the nations and peoples around the Kingdom of Israel were unbelievers in the God of Israel - Yahweh - and they acted like it, as they worshipped their false gods (like Dagon, Baal, and Asherah). He talks about how he is experiencing the affects of their actions on his kingdom in Psalm 14.
Psalm 14 says…
Verse 1: “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”
It is interesting that King David starts by defining the people he is having problems with. And he does so by comparing them to himself and to those who believe in Yahweh.
He defines those who are ‘fools’ or ‘those who do foolish things’…as one’s who deny the existence of God (Yahweh).
From that position King David explains that no-one who denies God does good, that their actions are corrupt and evil.
We can see in the world we live in now, that a great many people do not either believe in a ‘God - or Divine Being’ at all - or they worship false gods. This means we should not be surprised when evil, violence and chaos are prevalent in our world.
There is a famous line in the movie Forest Gump that went along the lines of “Stupid is as stupid does”…if King David had written it, he would have said “Foolish is as foolish does”.
Verse 2-3: “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise: if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!”
King David moves on from his first point only to reaffirm it in a slightly different way.
He moves the viewpoint away from his own and changed it to that of God (Yahweh) - and from HIS perspective there are no humans who are trying to seek HIM, but there are none.
Corruption of humanity has become the norm, and because of that no-one does good.
King David is emphasising the broken relationship between humanity and God, as well as the brokenness of the humanities actions and thoughts.
He also notes that seeking God (Yahweh) is true wisdom - of which there is a lack in the world at his time. And there surely is a lack of wisdom in our own time.
Verse 4 - 6: “Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord. Terror will grip them, for God is with those who obey him. The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the Lord will protect his people.”
It is at this point in the psalm that King David start to truly vent his feelings about the situation around him.
He cries out to the Lord about how those who do evil will never learn that it is a dark and destructive path to continue taking. He cries out about how the evildoer’s are attacking and destroying the people he is trying to lead and protect. He particularly pays attention to the violence, and the deception that the wicked use as a form of terror against the people of Israel - sounds familiar doesn’t it.
King David follows up his pleas to God by noting that God protects those who follow HIM, and that those who do evil will come to fear the Lord. This is a promise that David knew was going to be fulfilled, as he had the faith that God would act on his behalf and the behalf of the people of Israel - just as HE will do so today.
Verse 7: “Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the Lord restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.”
In this final verse of Psalm 14, King David is almost asking for a messianic figure to come and save the Kingdom of Israel.
King David wanted the salvation and protector of the people of Israel to come from Mount Zion, which is the holy hill of Yahweh.
Jacob - an image of the people of Israel will rejoice and worship Yahweh because HE has restored them back to HIM, and protected them from those who seek to destroy them. Much as will happen in the last days and Jesus returns to rule the world.
Psalm 14 is a short psalm by King David, but it is an honest and passionate one. One that is full of concern for his people, and for the seemingly unending evil that surrounds them each and every day. Perhaps the strength of this psalm is not that it is a cry to the Lord about the evil in this world - but rather it is the strength of David’s convictions and faith in Yahweh in the midst of that evil. It is that stance which we need to copy in our current day and age, with all the evil that is flourishing around us at the moment.
may the peace and grace of yahweh be upon you and yours in these dark times. May your faith in HIM be strengthened.