Psalms 14:1

The fool A class of men, not a particular individual. The word nâbâlhere used for fooldenotes moral perversity, not mere ignorance or weakness of reason. -Folly" is the opposite of -wisdom" in its highest sense. It may be predicated of forgetfulness of God or impious opposition to His will (Deuteronomy 32:6; Deuteronomy 32:21; Job 2:10; Job 42:8; Psalms 74:18; Psalms 74:22): of gross offences against morality (2 Samuel 13:12-13): of sacrilege (Joshua 7:15): of ungenerous churlishness (1 Samuel 25:25). For a description of the -fool" in his -folly" see Isaiah 32:5-6 (A.V. vile person, villainy).

hath said in his heart It is his deliberate conclusion, upon which he acts. Cp. Psalms 10:6; Psalms 10:11; Psalms 10:13.

There is no God Cp. Psalms 10:4. This is hardly to be understood of a speculative denial of the existence of God; but rather of a practical disbelief in His moral government. Cp. Psalms 73:11; Jeremiah 5:12; Zephaniah 1:12; Romans 1:28 ff.

They are corrupt&c. More emphatically the original: They corrupted their doings, they made them abominable, there was none doing good. Mankind in general are the subject of the sentence. Abandoning belief in God, they depraved their nature, and gave themselves up to practices which God -abhors" (Psalms 14:6). -Corrupted" describes the self-degradation of their better nature; -made abominable" the character of their conduct in the sight of God. Such was the condition of the world before the Flood. See Genesis 6:11-12; and with the last line of this verse, cp. Genesis 6:5. P.B.V. follows LXX and Vulg. in adding no not oneas in Psalms 14:5. For doingsPsalms 53 has iniquity: -they did abominable iniquity."