Psalms 14:1-7: a reflection

1The 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.

This psalm opens with a sobering observation: the fool says in his heart, there is no God, and this practical denial of God works itself out in corrupt deeds. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God, the psalm says; they are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds. Notice where the fool's denial is: in the heart, and it is lived out in action. It is not so much a philosophical argument as a practical one: living as though there were no God, as though God did not see or matter, and this lived-out denial issues in corrupt behavior. When we live as though there were no God, forgetting that he sees and that we answer to him, our conduct corrupts. This shows the folly of living as though there were no God, and how it corrupts our conduct. Living as though there were no God is the fool's practical denial. The denial of God is lived out in corrupt deeds. To forget that God sees and that we answer to him corrupts our conduct. Live reckoning with God, not as though he did not matter.

Notice where the fool's denial lies, and how it works out. The psalm does not say the fool has proven there is no God, or even argued it aloud; it says he has said in his heart, there is no God. This is a practical, lived denial rather than a reasoned one: living as though God were not there, as though he did not see, did not matter, would not hold us to account. And the psalm shows the fruit of this practical atheism: corruption, abominable deeds. For when we live as though there were no God to see us or to whom we answer, the restraints fall away, and our conduct corrupts. This searches us, for we can fall into this practical atheism even while professing to believe in God. We can live, in practice, as though God did not see our actions, did not matter to our choices, would not hold us to account, forgetting him in the daily conduct of our lives; and such practical forgetting of God loosens our conduct. The remedy is to live consciously reckoning with God: remembering that he sees, that he matters, that we answer to him, and letting this shape our conduct. We do well to live reckoning with God in practice, not merely professing him while living as though he did not matter. Do not live as though God did not see or matter, even while professing him. Practical atheism corrupts our conduct; live reckoning with God. Remember that God sees and that you answer to him. Let the reality of God shape your daily conduct.

That is worth taking to heart, for living as though there were no God corrupts our conduct, and we do well to live reckoning with God in practice, not merely professing him. We can fall into a practical atheism, living as though God did not see our actions or matter to our choices, even while professing to believe in him; but the psalm shows that this practical denial of God issues in corrupt deeds. God is real and sees. Do not live as though God did not see or matter; live consciously reckoning with him, remembering that he sees and that you answer to him. Live consciously reckoning with God, remembering that he sees and that you answer to him, rather than living as though there were no God, as this psalm opens with the sobering observation that the fool says in his heart there is no God, and this practical denial works itself out in corrupt deeds; for the fool's denial is not so much a reasoned argument as a practical one, said in the heart, living as though God were not there, did not see, did not matter, or would not hold us to account, and the psalm shows the fruit of this practical atheism, corruption and abominable deeds, since when we live as though there were no God to see us or to whom we answer, the restraints fall away and our conduct corrupts, which searches us, since we can fall into this practical atheism even while professing to believe in God, living in practice as though God did not see our actions, did not matter to our choices, or would not hold us to account, forgetting him in the daily conduct of our lives, so that the remedy is to live consciously reckoning with God, remembering that he sees, that he matters, and that we answer to him, and letting this shape our conduct, and we do well to live reckoning with God in practice rather than merely professing him while living as though he did not matter.

Lord, this psalm opens with a sobering observation: the fool says in his heart, there is no God, and this practical denial of you works itself out in corrupt deeds. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God, the psalm says; they are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds. I notice where the fool's denial is: in the heart, and it is lived out in action. It is not so much a philosophical argument as a practical one: living as though there were no God, as though you did not see or matter, and this lived-out denial issues in corrupt behavior. When I live as though there were no God, forgetting that you see and that I answer to you, my conduct corrupts. Show me where the fool's denial lies, and how it works out. The psalm does not say the fool has proven there is no God; it says he has said in his heart, there is no God. This is a practical, lived denial: living as though you were not there, did not see, did not matter, would not hold me to account. And the psalm shows the fruit of this practical atheism: corruption. For when I live as though there were no God to see me or to whom I answer, the restraints fall away, and my conduct corrupts. This searches me, for I can fall into this practical atheism even while professing to believe in you. I can live, in practice, as though you did not see my actions, did not matter to my choices, would not hold me to account, forgetting you in the daily conduct of my life. The remedy is to live consciously reckoning with you: remembering that you see, that you matter, that I answer to you. Take that to my heart, for living as though there were no God corrupts my conduct, and I do well to live reckoning with you in practice. Keep me from living as though you did not see or matter, even while professing you; help me live consciously reckoning with you, Lord, remembering that you see and that I answer to you, and letting the reality of you shape my daily conduct.