Psalm 14.1-3 - The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.
Within these three introductory verses of Psalm 14 we are given a description of the human heart and its relationship to sin. These verses describe not only every man’s heart but each man’s heart. Here is given to us a description of the absolute “foolishness” of sin; that sin is the least intelligent, loving, and least beneficial decision one could make. On the contrary, it is the most hurtful, harmful, and hateful decision one could chose to make. And finally, these verses expose and articulate that even the very foundations (thought/intent/motives) which we decide to “build” or commit our sins upon are all together sinful and offensive to God. Just as a building is built upon a foundation of rock so are our sins committed upon a foundation of atheistic conclusions, made in the innermost parts of our hearts.
Who are the ones that David is describing in these three verses? David is giving a description of each and every man, woman and child that has ever walked the face of this earth. David is speaking of the ones who have sinned against God. The Scriptures condemn all under sin, being born into a sinful nature, therefore this verse is applicable to all people. Even to the regenerate Christian, whom God has forgiven and justified is this passage relevant, as it deals with our old and fleshly nature. That nature which is ever raging and contending against our spirits and spiritual lives. We are all born of depravity, and we must be informed of the extent to which that depravity has extended. In doing so we may then see ourselves in the light of God’s truth, rather than the false notions which we store up in our minds and hearts.
“Sin is the disease of mankind.[1]” Sin is a spiritual cancer. Just as cancer spreads throughout our bodies consuming, corrupting and devouring all it contacts so does this disease of sin. Sin is hateful, and it causes harm to all it touches. Sin spreads through our hearts and minds like a wild fire incapable of being quenched, except by the effectual power of the cross of Christ. We as natural men are incapable of resisting its force. Sin’s power cannot be stopped by the determination of will, nor by any power of man. Once a sin is committed it will not only multiply, but it grow exponentially. Just like cancer, once sin has taken its toll it leaves us in death. How truly foolish we are to underestimate this power which is at work within our members each and every day.
“[Sin] puts contempt upon the honor of God; for there is practical atheism at the bottom of all sin[2].” Underlying each and every sin is the reason and logic of atheism. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” The foundation of each motive to sin is the foundation of atheism. Atheism is what we are actually building upon when we make the voluntary choice to sin. Hidden within our hearts is the notion that, “There is no God” or “He will not see.” Deep within our hearts is the hidden supposition of either 1) a God who is not truly a Judge or 2) a God who will not truly call into account the affairs of men.
Deep within each man’s heart lies the blatant denial of God as God. Within our hearts there are longings for God to be other than He truly is. Deep within we do not want God to be as He in fact is. We want God to be like us. Because God exists in His holiness we stand condemned as wicked and opposition to all His ways, His nature and His Personhood. In an attempt to run from truth we will trick ourselves by painting a different picture of God in our minds. We will say within our hearts, “I do not believe God to be holy, I do not believe Him to be a just Judge, I do not believe Him to have wrath towards me, I will continue to sin because He won‘t do anything at all.” We would rather believe this self-deception than to think of God rightly. Men will judge us by our outward appearance, but God temporarily has judged and eternally will judge each one of us by our hearts. He will judge us according to the secret motives that lie behind our actions; both good and bad.
God’s analysis of men is that they are all corrupt. The Lord looks down from heaven upon this earth. He sees all who dwell upon the face of the earth, and He testifies of them that they are all corrupted. All men are under sin, enslaved to Satan and corruption. There is not a man born on this earth, besides our Lord Jesus Christ who is naturally inclined to do good. There is no one who understands the things of God or His ways of righteousness. No one is found to be good in God’s eyes; all are found to be evil. All must be born again. The Psalm starts off by declaring that it is the fool who says in his heart, “There is no God.” Within that same verse the Psalmist says that there is no one who does good. The Psalmist was therefore saying each and every person has been a fool saying in his or her heart, “There is no God”. Each and every person has played the fool. Paul quotes David in Romans chapter three where Paul also condemns all under sin.
“They have all turned aside”. Each one of us have forsaken God with our words and deeds. Each one of us have turned away from Him. Each one of us have played Peter in denying Him before men, either by our words or by our actions. Each of us have played Thomas, doubting the Resurrected Lord of glory. Each of us has played the mocking soldier who placed the twisted thorns upon Christ’s precious head, striking Him with his hands. Each one of us has played Pontus Pilate claiming to be innocent of this Man’s blood, while yet handing Him over to be crucified and made a public spectacle. Each of us has betrayed Him as Judas, selling our souls for the treasures of this age. Each of us has crucified the Lamb of God. Yet, how many of us have touched upon these realities that we may be as Mary of Bethany who poured out her oil at His feet, washing His feet with her own hair? Oh, how these realities should destroy us! They should tear our hearts in two that we could say with Job, “Behold, I am vile, I lay my hand over my mouth[3]… Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes[4]“ or with Isaiah who said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts[5]”. We must behold the One we have pierced and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child[6]. If we embrace this and our soul refuses to be comforted, then the LORD draws near to those who have a broken heart, and will save such as have a contrite spirit[7]. As David puts it, “I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin[8]“. Again, how David closes these verses, “There is no one who does good, no, not one”.
[1] Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Holy Bible, Volume II
[2] Henry, p. 114
[3] Job 40.4
[4] Job 40.6
[5] Isaiah 6.5
[6] Zechariah 12.10
[7] Psalm 34.18
[8] Psalm 32.5
Filed under: Sermon on the Mount, Soteriology - (The Study of Salvation)
