Fools tell themselves that there is no God. Their thoughts, words, and deeds are contaminated by sin. In order to do what they do, they must push the thought of God out of their minds and hearts (Romans 1:18-32 cp. Psalm 10:1-11). The behavior of fools and how we should respond to them are themes developed in the book of Proverbs. Psalm 14 and 53 deal with the essence of the problem: an ungodly heart full of pride, lust, and self-centeredness. We all have to deal with foolishness in ourselves and in others. We all need to be taught the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 22:15; Psalm 34:8-11; Proverbs 1:1-7). Through the gospel, this can lead to the love of the Lord and a completeness with peace and contentment that is beyond description (Romans 3:10-26; 5:1-11; 16:24-27; I John 4:7-19; Ephesians 3:14-21).

Here is a brief synopsis of Psalm 14

• Psalm 14:1 - Fools push God out of their minds and hearts, leaving room for godless, sinful deeds.


• Psalm 14:2 - God knows and searches the hearts of all men.


• Psalm 14:3 - All men, by nature, do not know or desire God. They all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.


• Psalm 14:4 - Those who work iniquity (sin) tend to avoid the Lord. They show their feelings for God by the way they treat His people.


• Psalm 14:5 - The future of the ungodly will be a fearful thing. God will avenge the evil that has been done to His people (Psalm 1:4-6; Matthew 25:31-46; II Thessalonians 1:3-10).


• Psalm 14:6 - There are many forms of persecution against God's people. Shaming is often the method of attacking those who love and trust the Lord. It is through mockery of the gospel that wicked people protect their own minds and hearts from seriously considering the truth (I Corinthians 2:14; II Peter 3:3).


• Psalm 14:7 - This verse is prophetic, showing a desire for God's future deliverance. The salvation of God is focused on what He has done and will do in Israel - particularly Jerusalem. Through Israel, God gave us the Scriptures (the Gospel) and the Messiah (Christ) - the One and only Savior / deliverer. He will yet again establish this nation. In Jerusalem, Christ shall bring true peace and righteousness on this planet (Psalm 122)

Two Points to ponder:

#1 Government can't save us. There is great merit to having a nation that operates on the principle of law. But such a constitution cannot change the hearts of lawless, rebellious people (Proverbs 14:34). Only the gospel can take the foolishness out of such people. Before we can save a nation, we must save people from their foolishness. We need to be sanctified servants of God, so that He can use us for that purpose (II Corinthians 5:17-21).

#2 Jesus Christ is the only Answer. Christ fulfilled the promises that a Savior would die for our sins and rise again for our justification and sanctification. He will come again to fulfill the rest of the promises. Jesus Christ, the King of kings, will reign over this world with a rod of iron, bringing peace and righteousness to the world (Revelation 20:1-9). The world cannot reset itself. Christ has purchased the right and has the power to bring this world into submission (Matthew 28:18-20; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Psalm 2:1-12).

Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?
All other attempts for peace in this world / in this life will be futile.

See John 3:16-21,36; 16:33; I John 5:12; II Corinthians 6:2.

Do you want to do something about the problems in our nation and in our world?
Fighting the many issues and problems in this world is exhausting and distracting. Keeping our eyes on Christ, prayerfully giving full attention to His gospel truth, and being His ambassadors to others should be our main objective. Rather than saving the world, we should be focusing on saving people from the world.

See Hebrews 12:1-3; Galatians 1:3-5; Romans 1:14-16; I Corinthians 2:1-2; 9:19-27; 10:31-33; Ephesians 3:8-9; I John 5:19-21.