They say the atheist’s holiday is April 1. But did you know the atheists also have a psalm?
Two things were clear to David. The first was that anyone who concluded in his heart that there was no God was a fool. The second was that such people who denied God His rightful place in their lives would be up to no good. “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” (Ps 14:1). The equation was simple: No God = no good. Now many object to this, saying you don’t have to believe in God to be good. But the scene changes. We are caught up to heaven to get God’s perspective. Does He agree with David’s conclusion? Listen: “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” (v 2). This is reminiscent of the story in the days of Noah (Gen 6:5-8). Paul quotes these verses in driving home the point that every last person needs a Savior (Rom 3:11-12). Now when it says the Lord looked to see, it isn’t suggesting He didn’t already know. What it’s telling us is that there is no rush to judgment here. God is fair, and His assessment is always right. If only “the workers of iniquity” would “call on the Lord” (Ps 14:4). Instead they devour God’s people, but end up consumed by fear. The literal translation of verse 5 reads, “they feared a fear,” i.e., terror overtook them as they abused God’s people. The parallel passage, Psalm 53, adds, “where no fear was” (v 5); in other words, fools are fooled by their own evil imaginations. Still, “the Lord is [the believer’s] refuge” (Ps 14:6), and as God has delivered in the past, He can also be counted on to save His people in the future (v 7).