Sunday, April 12, 2009 pm
The Fool Has Said In His Heart – Again
One thought: The superscription of this psalm says, “To the Chief
Musician. Set to ‘Mahalath’.
A Contemplation of David.”
Compare this with Psalm 14 which simply states, “To the Chief Musician.
A Psalm of David.” As I read
this psalm I cannot help but think that possibly it was the same psalm set to a
different tune and thereby needing minor adjustment.
Just like in our song book, the 23 psalm is put to multiple tunes (#72,
73 & 74). Also 321 & 136
ALSO 461, “all hail the power” – #18 &
19.
This psalm, like the 14th is a psalm that describes the
hopeless fate of the fool, especially the atheist.
Tonight, we will examine this psalm.
I.
The Fool – 14:1
A. Who is a fool?
a.
The word fool describes one
who is without wisdom. In the Hebrew language there are actually several
words that are translated fool. They
describe those who act wickedly or reject instruction.
McClintock and Strong note that he “is not an idiot, but an absurd
person; not one who does not reason at all, but one who reasons wrong; also
anyone whose conduct is not regulated by the dictates of reason and religion.”
(Fool).
In our text, the Hebrew word for fool is
nabal and describes one who expresses contempt or disgust for his salvation
or other worthwhile things (TWOT).
Consider 1 Samuel 25:25, the husband of Abigail, who was named Nabal.
He refused to help David and his men after they had helped him.
After his foolish and selfish behavior we are told later in that chapter
that he died as his heart quit.
In simpler words, it is one who chooses to act without wisdom in his life.
Isaiah 32:6 describes the character of the fool, “For the foolish person will
speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To
utter error against the LORD, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause
the drink of the thirsty to fail.”
b.
The Bible describes the
fool in many ways (though using a different Hebrew word and is a word that means
thickheaded or stupid. One who lacks
sense and is generally corrupt (ISBE Revised)
1.
Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction”
2.
Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool is
right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.”
3.
Proverbs 14:16, “A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is
self-confident.”
4.
Proverbs 18:2,
“A
fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. “
5.
Ecclesiastes 2:14,
“The
wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness…”
6.
Matthew 7:26-27, “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will
be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain
descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it
fell. And great was its fall.”
B. In this text, this fool says in his
heart, “there is no God” – an atheist (note the word actually means one who is
against God). There are at least two different types of atheists:
a.
One who outright denies the existence of God.
Far too many today sincerely believe that God does not exist. Sincerity
does not imply innocence because such men HAVE TO willfully blind themselves to
the proofs of God’s existence.
The scientist who denies God while espousing evolution is blindly accepting a
theory that science CANNOT verify. Most will admit that evolution is a
theory but they simply REFUSE to accept the existence of God.
Romans 1:20-23 speaks of them being without excuse as they look at creation.
b.
But perhaps what we need to
be more concerned about is what we might call, practical atheism which
refers to one who professes to know God but in deeds they deny Him.
Certainly one like this is a fool – perhaps even a greater fool than one who
outright denies God’s existence.
i.
Titus 1:15-16, to the pure all things
are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even
their mind and conscience are defiled.”
ii.
Romans 1:28 speaks of their refusing to retain God in their
knowledge. Sadly, there are
believers who because they decide that they do not want to follow the laws of
God (any more) end up losing their faith.
They DECIDE that God does not exist.
How sad it is for such who fit into the text of 2 Pet. 2:20-22
iii.
Consider also
1 Timothy 5:8 as an
example of one who in God’s eyes acts this way.
It speaks of one who fails to take care of his family. He is worse
than an infidel (unbeliever).
iv.
The rest of Psalm 53:1
seems to describe this “fool” – they are corrupt and have done abominable works
seems to describe this one.
II.
None Does Good (1c-3)
a.
These verses speak of God
looking down from heaven and seeing that there are none who understand. There
are none who do good. Their works are described as abominable and corrupt.
Notice the context refers primarily to those who are called fools. But
David makes an overall observation that in God’s eyes all are guilty.
Further, the general demeanor of man is to do evil.
Sadly, it is the majority who follow the path that leads to destruction –
Matthew 7:13-14.
b.
He is NOT saying there are
none who will obey God, but they are not worthy.
c.
This verse is quoted in
Romans 3:10-12 where Paul is establishing the fact that all mankind is guilty of
sin. None is worthy of redemption. Romans 3:23 summarizes this by
saying, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
d.
Both Paul and David’s point
are the same – WE NEED GOD in our lives. We cannot save ourselves and we
cannot earn our salvation – (Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 17:10 – we have only done
what was our duty to do).
In the rest of this Psalm David expresses his desire for God’s deliverance, just
as Paul in the rest of the book of Romans speaks of our deliverance found in
Christ Jesus.
III.
The Frustration of the Fool (4-5)
a.
In these verses David notes
the misery of the atheist. He denies God, but deep down he is tormented.
The only answer he has is to shut his eyes. It is so interesting how an
atheist in art, buildings and great accomplishments can see a great work and
give credit to its creator. But when he looks at the orderliness of the
world and heavens or the human body(see Psalm 8:3-6), he cannot see a divine
creator – how miserable he must be to think that his only hope is to believe an
impossibility that even science itself cannot prove.
David challenges him saying, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?”
(4)
b.
Yet in spite of this they
devour the righteous like they eat bread (4).
We see it even today, as the ungodly want to strike the mention of God out of
our lives. John 3:19-21 describes those in darkness hating the light
because it exposes them.
It is the ungodly who will persecute us because when we do that which is right
and good, it exposes their deeds for what they are.
c.
Also, they “do not call on
the Lord”. That is they don’t pray. They have no one to turn to the
way that Christians do. One of the greatest blessings a Christian has is
the right to turn to God in prayer – James 5:16
d.
“There they are in great
fear…” (5). One dilemma the atheist faces is the calm and peace of the true
Christian in the face of persecutions (perfect love casts out their fear – 1
John 4:18). While Christians may suffer at the hands of the wicked, their
faith is not shaken. This presents a great dilemma to unbelievers.
It has been said that many Roman soldiers went mad as they witnessed the
calmness with which Christians accepted their deaths in the late Roman Empire.
Do we have that kind of calmness?
But the fear of the atheist can go deeper.
There is an uncertainty about this life and what comes after it.
There is also a sense of arrogance.
There are the fears of loneliness in this life, etc.
e.
“For
God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;”
Here we find the MAIN difference between this and the 14th
psalm. The 14th psalm
here says, “There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.”
That is a positive affirmation of hope.
BUT in our psalm instead we find the REASON for such great fear – God has
scattered their bones. We find the
hopelessness of the fool who inflicts the godly.
f.
God also put them to shame
– This is yet another verse that demonstrates that God is He who is in control
of all things. Man seems hopeless in
dealing with matters – and at times he is – but NOT God!
No matter what – He sees all, knows all and has all power.
In his justice and righteousness He will NOT allow the ungodly to get
away with their conduct – 2 Thess. 1:6-8.
A quite often in happens in this life as well.
IV.
David’s Righteous Desire (6)
a.
David is ready for
deliverance. His desire is that salvation come out of Zion.
We don’t know the event that prompted this psalm (or the 14th).
David had many days of conflict in his life.
Or this could just be his contemplations of hope as he see continued
ungodliness around him EVEN in an environment where they ought to have known
better (i.e. they were ISRAEL).
It is a desire that God bring His people out of captivity – this could be early
in David’s life or later in life.
Some believe 14 was written earlier and this psalm repenned later in life as he
looks back.
b.
He makes reference to Zion,
which is first mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:7 as the city David captured and became
Jerusalem. 1 Kings 8:1 also makes reference to it as Zion, the city of
David. We have also noted on several
occasions that the word often has a spiritual hope attached to it looking
forward to God’s true and ultimate kingdom.
Such is its use here.
c.
Ultimately, this was
fulfilled in the coming of Christ and the establishment of His spiritual
kingdom. (Isaiah 59:20) The lesson of this verse was, and still is,
timely.
Joel 2:32 speaks of the law going forth out of Zion.
Jesus came to save us – Colossians 1:13-14, Luke 19:10 – He came to “seek and
save that which was lost.”
He came the first time to save us, but He will come again to receive us who are
His to spend eternity with Him in heaven – Hebrews 9:28, 2 Thess. 1:5-10.
This is our comfort.
And thus we see another psalm of David.
This one visits former themes, but just as it was written at a time
different than it’s companion, so the truth of God’s word never changes.
Let us like David, hope for the Lord to come.
But we can only do that if we are ready.
Are you?