(14:1-3) A Fool - A fool is not someone who is stupid and uneducated, but rather a person who rejects God. By rejecting God, the fool rejects the one who made the moral and spiritual laws that make life just and good. A fool is indeed corrupt and evil because to deny God's existence allows wickedness to prevail. The apostle Paul quotes these verses in Romans 3:10-12 as he mourns the lack of single-heartedness toward God and thus the rampant spread of evil. The wise, on the other hand, not only believe there is a God but also strive to please him. To believe there is a God but refuse to please him is another way of being foolish. Don't be a fool of either sort.

(14:3-4) Following the Lord - David applies these observations to his enemies, who are guilty of oppressing his people: "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." By contrast, David said concerning himself, "Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing" (17:3). There is a clear distinction between those who worship God and those who refuse to worship him. David worshiped God, and under his leadership the Israelites obeyed God and prospered. Several hundred years later, however, Israel had forgotten God, and it became difficult to distinguish between God's followers and those who worshiped idols. When Isaiah called Israel to repentance, he, like David, spoke of people who had gone astray (Isaiah 53:6). But Isaiah was talking about the Israelites themselves. Paul quoted Psalm 14 in Romans 3:10-12. He made the image of straying sheep even more general, referring to all people. The whole human race: Jew and Gentile alike--has turned away from God.

(14:3) God is Perfect - No one but God is perfect; all of us stand guilty before him (see Romans 3:23) and need his forgiveness. No matter how well we live or how much we achieve compared to others, no one can boast of his or her goodness when compared to God's standard. God not only expects us to obey his laws but also wants us to love him with all our hearts. Only Jesus Christ has done that perfectly. Because we all fall short of God's standard, we must turn to Christ to save us (Romans 10:9-11). Have you asked him to save you?

(14:5) David Reassures Those Who Seek the Lord -  David first condemned the foolish and rebellious (14:1-4). Here he gives reassurance to those who seek God. If God is "in the generation of the righteous," then those who attack God's followers may be attacking God himself. To attack God is utterly futile (see 2:4-5, 10-12). Thus, while we may feel we are losing the battle, we can be absolutely sure that our ultimate victory is in God.