Psalms 14 - Introduction

The deep and universal corruption of mankind is traced to its source in their failure to seek after God (Psalms 14:1-3). This corruption is illustrated by the cruel treatment to which -the people of Jehovah" have been subjected (Psalms 14:4). But He proves Himself their defender (Psalms 14:5-6); and the Psalm concludes with a prayer that He will gladden Israel with a full deliverance (Psalms 14:7).

It is commonly supposed that the Psalmist is describing the depravity of his own age and his own country. But at least in Psalms 14:1 it is of mankind at large (the sons of men, Psalms 14:2) that he is speaking. His words recall the great examples of corruption in the primeval world; in the days before the Flood, at Babel, in Sodom.

The reference of Psalms 14:4 is less clear. It depends on the meaning assigned to -my people" in Psalms 14:4. (1) -My people" may mean the faithful few in Israel, the godly poor, who were devoured by heartless oppressors. In this case Psalms 14:5 must refer to the future, prophetically anticipating the judgement which will overtake these godless tyrants. (2) If however -my people" means the nation of Israel, Psalms 14:4 must refer either to some present oppression by foreign enemies and their anticipated discomfiture; or to a typical example of oppression and deliverance in the past, such as that of Israel in Egypt. If we are right in supposing that Psalms 14:1 refer to the primitive history of mankind, the latter interpretation seems preferable. The Psalmist naturally passes on to the oppression of Israel in Egypt as the next great instance of defiant antagonism to Jehovah. Psalms 14:5 are then to be explained as a historical allusion to the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea: and the memory of that great national deliverance leads up to the concluding prayer of Psalms 14:7.

The Psalm recurs in Book ii as Psalms 53, with some variations. Elohim(God) is substituted for Jehovah (Lord) in accordance with the general practice of the editor of that book (see Introd. p. lv f.): and Psalms 14:5 differs widely from Psalms 14:5-6. Is this difference due to corruption of text or to intentional change? The curious similarity of the letters is in favour of the view that the text of Psalms 53:5 is a restoration of characters which had become partially obliterated: but it is equally possible that the editor of the collection intentionally altered the text in order to introduce a fresh historical reference, probably to the overthrow of Sennacherib.

The structure of the Psalm resembles that of Psalms 11: two equal stanzas of three verses each, with a concluding verse.

The title of Psalms 53 runs "For the Chief Musician; set to Mahalath. Maschil of David." Mahalath(cp. title of Psalms 88) may mean sickness, and is best explained as the initial word of some well-known song, to the melody of which the Psalm was set; rather than as denoting a mournful style of music, or some kind of instrument. On Maschilsee Introd. p. xix.