141 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.
141 The fool
141 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.
141 Bilious and bloated, they gas, "God is gone." Their words are poison gas, fouling the air; they poison Rivers and skies; thistles are their cash crop.
141 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 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.
141 Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
32 Don't you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots? Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
32 For simpletons turn away from me-to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
(Read Proverbs 1:20-33)
Solomon, having showed how dangerous it is to hearken to the temptations of Satan, here declares how dangerous it is not to hearken to the calls of God. Christ himself is Wisdom, is Wisdoms. Three sorts of persons are here called by Him: 1. Simple ones. Sinners are fond of their simple notions of good and evil, their simple prejudices against the ways of God, and flatter themselves in their wickedness. 2. Scorners. Proud, jovial people, that make a jest of every thing. Scoffers at religion, that run down every thing sacred and serious. 3. Fools. Those are the worst of fools that hate to be taught, and have a rooted dislike to serious godliness. The precept is plain; Turn you at my reproof. We do not make a right use of reproofs, if we do not turn from evil to that which is good. The promises are very encouraging. Men cannot turn by any power of their own; but God answers, Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. Special grace is needful to sincere conversion. But that grace shall never be denied to any who seek it. The love of Christ, and the promises mingled with his reproofs, surely should have the attention of every one. It may well be asked, how long men mean to proceed in such a perilous path, when the uncertainty of life and the consequences of dying without Christ are considered? Now sinners live at ease, and set sorrow at defiance; but their calamity will come. Now God is ready to hear their prayers; but then they shall cry in vain. Are we yet despisers of wisdom? Let us hearken diligently, and obey the Lord Jesus, that we may enjoy peace of conscience and confidence in God; be free from evil, in life, in death, and for ever.
101 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
101 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
101 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
101 Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.
101 The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
101 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
(Read Proverbs 10:1)
The comfort of parents much depends on their children; and this suggests to both, motives to their duties.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 14:1
Chapter Contents
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.