Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For the director of music. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. New Living Translation Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! English Standard Version The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Berean Standard Bible For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. Berean Literal Bible For the one directing. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; they have done abominable deeds; there is no one doing good. King James Bible To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 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. New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible For the music director. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts; There is no one who does good. NASB 1995 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. NASB 1977 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. Legacy Standard Bible For the choir director. Of David. The wicked fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They act corruptly, they commit abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. Amplified Bible To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The [spiritually ignorant] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed repulsive and unspeakable deeds; There is no one who does good. Berean Annotated Bible For the choirmaster. Of David (beloved). The fool (morally deficient.) says in his heart, “There is no God {Elohim}. They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. Christian Standard Bible For the choir director. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good. Holman Christian Standard Bible For the choir director. Davidic. The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good. American Standard Version For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 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. Contemporary English Version Only a fool would say, "There is no God!" People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right. English Revised Version For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation [For the choir director; by David.] Godless fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They do disgusting things. There is no one who does good things. Good News Translation Fools say to themselves, "There is no God!" They are all corrupt, and they have done terrible things; there is no one who does what is right. International Standard Version Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They are corrupt and commit evil deeds; not one of them practices what is good. NET Bible For the music director; by David. Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right. New Heart English Bible [For the Chief Musician. By David.] The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They do abominable works. There is none who does good. Webster's Bible Translation To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. World English Bible For the Chief Musician. By David. 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTO THE OVERSEER. BY DAVID. A fool has said in his heart, “There is no God”; They have done corruptly, "" They have done abominable actions, "" There is not a doer of good. Berean Literal Bible For the one directing. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; they have done abominable deeds; there is no one doing good. Young's Literal Translation To the Overseer. -- By David. A fool hath said in his heart, 'God is not;' They have done corruptly, They have done abominable actions, There is not a doer of good. Smith's Literal Translation To the overseer; of David. The fool said in his heart, No God. They were corrupted, they made their; works abominable, none doing good. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleUnto 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. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible For the leader. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Their deeds are loathsome and corrupt; not one does what is good. New Revised Standard Version Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTHE fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have been defiled by their own devices; there is none that does good. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The evil one has said in his heart, "There is no God.” They are corrupted and they are defiled in their schemes and there is none who does good. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For the Leader. [A Psalm] of David. The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; They have dealt corruptly, they have done abominably; There is none that doeth good. Brenton Septuagint Translation For the end, Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, and become abominable in their devices; there is none that does goodness, there is not even so much as one. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Fool Says There is No God1For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. 2The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.… Cross References For the choirmaster. Psalm 4:1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer. Psalm 5:1 For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Psalm 6:1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments, according to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. Of David. 2 Samuel 23:1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: Acts 4:25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? Psalm 3:1 A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 53:1 For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good. Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. Romans 1:21-22 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, They are corrupt; their acts are vile. Genesis 6:12 And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for all living creatures on the earth had corrupted their ways. Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed. Isaiah 1:4 Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who act corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him. There is no one who does good. Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Isaiah 64:6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Treasury of Scripture The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. fool Psalm 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 92:6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. Psalm 106:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. no Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalm 52:1-6 To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually… Job 22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? They are Psalm 36:1-4 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes… Psalm 94:4-8 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? … Genesis 6:5,11,12 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… abominable Job 15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: there Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: … Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; … Jump to Previous Abominable Abominably Chief Choirmaster Committed Corrupt Corrupted Corruptly David Dealt Deeds Director Fool Foolish Good Heart Leader Music Musician Music-Maker Psalm Themselves Unclean Vile WorksJump to Next Abominable Abominably Chief Choirmaster Committed Corrupt Corrupted Corruptly David Dealt Deeds Director Fool Foolish Good Heart Leader Music Musician Music-Maker Psalm Themselves Unclean Vile WorksPsalm 14 1. David describes a natural man4. He convinces the wicked by the light of their conscience 7. He glories in the salvation of God For the choirmaster. This phrase indicates that the psalm was intended for public worship and was to be directed by the choirmaster, a leader in the musical aspect of temple worship. The role of the choirmaster was significant in ancient Israel, as music was a central part of worship and religious ceremonies. This introduction suggests that the message of the psalm was meant to be shared with the community, emphasizing its importance and relevance to the collective faith experience. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. Persons / Places / Events 1. The FoolIn Hebrew, the word used is (nabal), which refers to someone who is morally deficient and lacks wisdom. This person denies God's existence and authority. 2. The Heart In biblical terms, the heart is the center of one's inner life, including thoughts, emotions, and will. The fool's denial of God originates from the heart, indicating a deep-seated rejection of divine truth. 3. Corruption and Vile Acts These terms describe the moral decay and sinful behavior that result from denying God. The Hebrew word for corrupt is (shachat), implying ruin or decay. 4. The Absence of Good The psalmist emphasizes that without acknowledgment of God, true goodness is absent. This reflects the belief that moral goodness is rooted in a relationship with God. 5. David Traditionally attributed to King David, this psalm reflects his observations of human nature and society's moral state. Teaching Points The Reality of GodAcknowledge God's existence and sovereignty as foundational to a moral and meaningful life. Denying God leads to moral decay and purposelessness. The Heart's Influence Recognize that beliefs and attitudes of the heart shape actions. Cultivate a heart that seeks God and His wisdom. Moral Accountability Understand that true goodness and moral integrity are rooted in a relationship with God. Without Him, human efforts at goodness fall short. The Universality of Sin Accept that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, emphasizing the need for redemption through Christ. Wisdom in Reverence Pursue wisdom by fearing the Lord, which leads to a life aligned with His will and purposes. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Psalm 14:1?2. How does Psalm 14:1 challenge our understanding of belief in God? 3. What actions can we take to avoid being "corrupt" as described here? 4. How does Psalm 14:1 relate to Romans 1:20-22 on denying God? 5. In what ways can we demonstrate wisdom by acknowledging God daily? 6. How can we lovingly address disbelief in God within our community? 7. Why does Psalm 14:1 describe atheists as fools? 8. How does Psalm 14:1 challenge the belief in human morality without God? 9. What historical context influenced the writing of Psalm 14:1? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 14? 11. Are you foolish? 12. Is atheism considered a form of religion? 13. What defines atheism? 14. What defines a godless person and godlessness? What Does Psalm 14:1 Mean For the choirmaster.The psalm opens by telling us it was meant for public worship, not private musings. • Worship settings remind every generation that God’s assessment of unbelief is part of the message we’re to sing together (see Psalm 9:11; Colossians 3:16). • Corporate praise is itself evidence that “there is a God,” countering the fool’s claim (Psalm 40:3). • Like other superscriptions (e.g., Psalm 8), this line grounds the psalm in real history and liturgy, underscoring Scripture’s reliability. Of David. • David—king, shepherd, prophet—speaks with Spirit-given authority (2 Samuel 23:2; Acts 2:29-31). • His life offers firsthand proof of God’s active presence, from Goliath’s defeat (1 Samuel 17:45-47) to answered prayers (Psalm 18:6). • When David observes godless foolishness, he does so as one who has experienced God’s reality personally (Psalm 23:1). “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” • “Fool” is a moral term: one who suppresses truth, not merely lacks information (Proverbs 1:7; Romans 1:21-22). • The denial happens “in his heart,” indicating willful rebellion rather than reasoned conclusion (Psalm 10:4). • God labels atheistic thinking as folly because creation and conscience leave humanity “without excuse” (Romans 1:20). • Unbelief starts internally but never stays private; thoughts shape character and culture (Matthew 15:19). They are corrupt; their acts are vile. • The inward rejection of God produces outward decay (Genesis 6:11-12). • Corruption here pictures moral rot—thoughts, motives, systems twisted away from God’s design (Isaiah 1:4). • Vile deeds include injustice, violence, sexual immorality—anything that distorts God’s good order (Ephesians 4:19; Titus 1:15-16). • List of consequences: – Broken relationships – Exploitation of the weak – Idolatry and empty worship – Hardening of heart to repentance There is no one who does good. • The verdict is universal; sin is not an exception but the rule (Romans 3:10-12, which quotes this psalm). • Even apparent good works are tainted by self-centered motives apart from God’s grace (Isaiah 64:6). • This sweeping statement prepares the way for the gospel: if no one does good, everyone needs a Savior (Galatians 3:22). • David is not denying common kindness; he’s declaring that, measured against God’s perfect standard, every heart falls short (Ecclesiastes 7:20). summary Psalm 14:1 exposes the heart of unbelief: denying God is moral folly that breeds corruption and proves universal sinfulness. By spotlighting humanity’s need, the verse drives us to seek the only One who truly is good—God Himself, ultimately revealed in Christ (Mark 10:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). (1) Fool.--Heb., nabal, from a root meaning "to wither;" hence flat, insipid (insipiens). But this is not therefore speculative atheism, but practical--a denial of the moral government of God--so that fool and wicked become almost synonymous.They have done abominable works.--Literally, they have made to be abhorred their works. The LXX. and Vulg. have caught the sense, "They have become abominable in their practices." Instead of works, Psalms 53 has "iniquity." Verse 1. - The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. An atheism is here depicted which goes beyond even that of Psalm 10. There the existence of God was not so much denied as his providence. Here his existence is not only denied, but denied in the very depths of the man's heart. He has contrived to convince himself of what he so much wishes. The psalmist regards such a state of mind as indicative of that utter perversity and folly which is implied in the term nabal (נָבַל). They are corrupt; literally, they have corrupted themselves (comp. Gem 6:12; Judges 2:19). Their atheism is accompanied by deep moral corruption. We have no right to say that this is always so; but the tendency of atheism to relax moral restraints is indisputable. They have done abominable works (comp. vers. 3 and 4). There is none that doeth good; i.e. none among them. The psalmist does not intend his words to apply to the whole human race. He has in his mind a, " righteous generation" (ver. 5), "God's people" (ver. 4), whom he sets over against the wicked, both in this psalm and elsewhere universally (see Psalm 1:1-3; Psalm 2:12; Psalm 3:8; Psalm 4:3, etc.).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew For the choirmaster.לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ (lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ) Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 5329: To glitter from afar, to be eminent, to be permanent Of David. לְדָ֫וִ֥ד (lə·ḏā·wiḏ) Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse The fool נָבָ֣ל (nā·ḇāl) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 5036: Foolish, senseless says אָ֘מַ֤ר (’ā·mar) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say in his heart, בְּ֭לִבּוֹ (bə·lib·bōw) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre “[There is] no אֵ֣ין (’ên) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle God.” אֱלֹהִ֑ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative They are corrupt; הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ (hiš·ḥî·ṯū) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin their acts עֲלִילָ֗ה (‘ă·lî·lāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5949: An exploit, a performance, an opportunity are vile. הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ (hiṯ·‘î·ḇū) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 8581: To loathe, detest There is no אֵ֣ין (’ên) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle one who does עֹֽשֵׂה־ (‘ō·śêh-) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct Strong's 6213: To do, make good. טֽוֹב׃ (ṭō·wḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good Links Psalm 14:1 NIVPsalm 14:1 NLT Psalm 14:1 ESV Psalm 14:1 NASB Psalm 14:1 KJV Psalm 14:1 BibleApps.com Psalm 14:1 Biblia Paralela Psalm 14:1 Chinese Bible Psalm 14:1 French Bible Psalm 14:1 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 14:1 For the Chief Musician (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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