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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 14

Psalm 14 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

Trust & RefugeWisdomMercy & Forgiveness
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 14

1For the Chief Musician. By David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.

2The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.

3They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on the LORD?

5There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.

6You frustrate the plan of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

7Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 14

Psalm 14 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book I (Psalms 1–41). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Trust & Refuge, Wisdom, Mercy & Forgiveness. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 14

Psalm 14 contains 7 verses and about 155 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician. By David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 7 closes: “Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include corrupt, good, people, israel, chief, musician. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 14

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 14:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes trust & refuge, with related themes of Trust & Refuge, Wisdom, Mercy & Forgiveness. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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