After portraying the wicked person, whose type predominates in the world, the psalmist turns to the likeness of the one who is worthy to dwell...
After portraying the wicked person, whose type predominates in the world, the psalmist turns to the likeness of the one who is worthy to dwell near God. The very first mark of such a righteous person that the psalmist names is adherence to truth.
Truth is not merely the reliability of information, and it is even more than a moral quality. Truth is one of God's attributes; therefore adherence to truth in every human expression—in deeds and words, and even more deeply in the movements of the heart—attunes a person to openness before God and to standing in His presence.
Someone might say that there are more serious transgressions than slander and reproach of one's neighbor. How easily we become absorbed in these occupations, excusing ourselves by saying that they are “an everyday matter”! Yet these “trifles” are connected with the deepest layers of the person, and this means that other sins follow them. Even an oath made to an evil person must be kept, precisely because a false oath is a sin in every case, no matter to whom it was given.
14 The atheism and corruption of mankind, Psa 14:1-3.
An expostulation with sinners, Psa 14:4-6.
A prayer for the salvation of God, Psa 14:7.
To the chief musician, A psalm of David.
14:1 The fool - The wicked man. Good - That is, actions really good or pleasing to God.
14:2 Looked - God knoweth all things without any enquiry: but he speaks after the manner of men. Upon - Upon the whole Israelitish nation, and upon all mankind for he speaks of all except his people, and the righteous ones, who are opposed to these, ver. Psa 14:4-5.
14:3 Gone - From God, and from the rule which he hath given them.Filthy - Loathsome and abominable to God.
14:4 Bread - With as little remorse, and with as much greediness.Call not - They are guilty not only of gross injustice towards men, but also of horrid impiety and contempt of God.
14:5 There - Upon the spot, where they practised these insolences, God struck them with a panick fear. For - God is on their side, and therefore their enemies have cause to tremble.
14:6 Because - This was the ground of their contempt, that he lived by faith in God's promise and providence.
14:7 O that - These words immediately concern the deliverance of Israel out of that sinful state, in which they now were; which having described, he concludes, with a prayer to God to help them out of Zion, where the ark then was, but principally they design the spiritual redemption and salvation of all God's Israel by the Messiah.The captivity - His captive people. The children of Jacob, as Aaron is named for his sons, Ch1 12:27.