Psalm 14
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who … do not call upon the LORD? (v. 4) David is speaking these first words sarcastically, I think, Have they no knowledge…? Surely everyone has knowledge of God! Paul says this in Romans 1:19-22, For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools… I’ve often said that we can look around us at the everyday, or at the macro (the skies), or at the micro (our cellular structure) and see God’s glory revealed. Yet people persist in their unbelief. Personally, I don’t think they’re “fools”. I think they are either stubborn or excessively prideful, unwilling to yield themselves to the One who created them. But also, I can look in a mirror and see a “fool”, one who is stubborn and excessively prideful. Probably that’s why I see it in others…
In verse 4 David writes that evildoers “devour my people,” then in verse 6 writes “You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.” The other day I did something rather stupid. I don’t know if it was downright evil, but perhaps it was close. So when I read this Psalm about evildoers I thought about myself, what I did and the need for the Lord’s forgiveness.
I think we are all in that shape. Evildoers and fools are “out there” but in our hearts too. We are all in desperate need of mercy and grace!