Psalms Reading – 1.14.2022
Psalms 14 and 15
Psalm 14 For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 15 A psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
These two psalms show the vast contrast between those who are righteous and unrighteous. The fool in Psalm 14 is one who speaks and believes there is no God. They are morally deficient and do absolutely no good. All have sinned, but these persons are filled with pride and refuse to acknowledge God, repent, and return to God. Instead, they treat the poor unjustly. In contrast to these “fools” are the righteous whom God is near and the poor whom God offers shelter.
In contrast to the fool’s ungodly life in Psalm 14, this psalm focuses on the qualities of a God-honoring life. David begins in verse 1 with two rhetorical questions that he proceeds to answer in verses 2-5. The sacred tent is the tabernacle and the holy mountain is Jerusalem.
He lists 12 requirements that would qualify a person to be with God at his holy mountain. It focuses on holy relationships with others, honoring them, not speaking ill of them, or doing them wrong.
For Christians, this list is a reflection of our trust in Jesus as Lord and the transformation that He brings into our lives to make us into brand new creations. Authentic faith always leads to life change. This psalm assures those who act with this kind of character that they will not be shaken. They will stand before God with confidence because the fruit of their lives reflects their faith-filled relationship.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Question(s) to Consider:
How would you describe the kind of person God wants you to be? Can you do so in a sentence and share it with us?