Presented, February 20, 2005 pm
THE FOOL VS. GOD
Psalm 14
Tonight we continue our study of the psalms noting the 14th psalm in our series. We study the psalms so that we can glean a better understanding of how to praise and worship God in our lives. This particular psalm is different from many we have examined in that the superscription gives no information about its timing. Nor can we glean a specific event from the life of David that inspired him to write this psalm. Interestingly, it was assigned to “the chief musician” as found in a total of more than 1/3 of the psalms which indicates it was a part of the public Jewish worship services at some point.
As to its intended meaning, we can learn by virtue of the fact that a portion of it is quoted in Romans 3:10-12. Also of interest is the fact that this psalm is repeated in psalm 53 with just a few variations. Tonight we want to glean the intended meaning of this psalm
I. The Fool – 14:1
A. Who is a fool?
a.
The word fool describes one who is without wisdom.
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 simpler words, it is one who chooses to act without wisdom in his life.
Isaiah 32:6 somewhat 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.
i. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction”
ii. Proverbs 3:35 says, “shame shall be the legacy of fools”
iii. Prov 10:14, “Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”
iv. Prov 10:18, “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool.”
v. Prov 10:23, “To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.”
vi. Prov 18:2, “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. “
vii. Prov 29:11, “A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.”
viii. Matt 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: (actually some authors describe 7 different atheists)
a.
One who denies the existence of God. There are
many today who 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.
In preparing for this lesson, I frequently came
across the term, 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. Titus
1:15-16. Romans 1:28 speaks of their refusing to retain God in their knowledge.
Consider also 1 Timothy 5:8 which speaks of him who fails to take care of his
family. He is worse than an infidel.
The rest of vs. 1 – 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 the observation that
in God’s eyes all are guilty.
He is NOT saying there are none who will obey God, but they are not worthy.
B. 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.”
C.
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).
David realized this as he praised God while gathering offerings for building the
temple – 1 Chronicles 29:12-15.
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 (4-6)
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 have great fear…” (5-6). One dilemma
the atheist faces is the calm and peace of the true Christian in the face of
persecutions. 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?
In the meantime, the atheist as he prepares to leave this life does so with
great fear – he doesn’t know what is on the other side. The French Philosopher,
Ernest Renan (1823-1892), a skeptic once said the agnostic’s prayer would be, “O
God, if there is a God. Save my soul, if there is a soul.”
IV. David’s Righteous Desire (7)
A.
David is ready for deliverance. His desire is that
salvation come out of Zion.
Some think that this verse was added later as a desire for deliverance when
Israel had been carried away into captivity and longed for their deliverance.
On the surface it doesn’t seem to fit any particular event in David’s life, BUT
figuratively (and with God’s inspiration) David could be praying on behalf of
those oppressed by the ungodly he spoke of in the previous verses.
Since reference is made 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
Zion, the city of David.
B.
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.
Isaiah 2:3, Joel 2:32, etc. speak of the law going forth out of Zion.
Jesus came to save us – Galatians 4:4-5; Colossians 1:13-14.
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 – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. This is our
comfort.