¹tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.
²sn There is no God. This statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).
³tn Heb “they act corruptly, they do evil [with] injustice.” Ps 14:1 has hlylu (“a deed”) instead of lwu (“injustice”). The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism—living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions—makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.
⁴tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
⁵sn The picture of the Lord looking down from heaven draws attention to his sovereignty over the world.
⁶tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”
⁷tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.
⁸tn That is, who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.
⁹tn Heb “all of it turns away.” Ps 14:1 has lkh instead of wlk, and rs (“turn aside”) instead of gs (“turn away”).
¹⁰tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”
¹¹tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
¹²tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8. Ps 14:4 adds lk (“all of”) before “workers of wickedness.”
¹³tn Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5-6).
¹⁴tn Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb <v (“there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination (see BDB 1027). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror (“absolutely”).
¹⁵tn Heb “there is no fear.” Apparently this means the evildoers are so traumatized with panic (see v. 5b) that they now jump with fear at everything, even those things that would not normally cause fear. Ps 14:5 omits this line.
¹⁶tn Heb “scatters the bones.” The perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. Scattering the bones alludes to the aftermath of a battle. God annihilates his enemies, leaving their carcasses spread all over the battlefield. As the bodies are devoured by wild animals and decay, the bones of God’s dead enemies are exposed. See Ps 141:7.
¹⁷tn Heb “[those who] encamp [against] you.” The second person masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to God’s people viewed as a collective whole. Instead of “for God scatters the bones of those who encamp against you,” Ps 14:5 reads, “for God is with a godly generation.”
¹⁸tn Once again the perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. As in the previous line, God’s people are probably addressed. The second person singular verb form is apparently collective, suggesting that the people are viewed here as a unified whole. Ps 14:6 reads here “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame, even though God is his shelter,” the words being addressed to the wicked.
¹⁹tn This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
²⁰tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term twbv is apparently a cognate accusative of bwv.
²¹tn The verb form is jussive.
²²tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
²³sn Psalm 54. The psalmist asks God for protection against his enemies, confidently affirms that God will vindicate him, and promises to give thanks to God for his saving intervention.
²⁴tn The meaning of the Hebrew term lykcm (“maskil”) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
²⁵tn Heb “Is not David hiding with us?”
sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm during the period when Saul was seeking his life. On one occasion the Ziphites informed Saul that David was hiding in their territory (see 1 Sam 23:19-20).