“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
- Psalm 14:1-3 -

In this description of the depravity of mankind there seems little hope. Understandably, we may use this psalm to assess the folly of atheism, but there is also a need for introspection. In his letter to the Romans, Paul quotes from this psalm, just before declaring that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’. Just as the archer’s arrow may repetitively ‘fall short’ of the target, so our efforts to achieve God’s requirements will always fail. Such an examination of our depravity led Charles Spurgeon to liken humanity to ‘a desert without an oasis, a night without a star, a dunghill without a jewel, a hell without a bottom’.

When God looks upon humankind, we are faced with the startling declaration that there is ‘no one who does good, not even one’ (v 3). Where is the hope?

But in verse 7, "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!" David found the hope of salvation from Zion. It refers to the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of the only one who always did good. Take a moment to pause and thank God for the rescue that has been offered to you and to all those whom God seeks, made possible by the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.

Apply: ‘Amazing grace, how sweet the sound / that saved a wretch like me. / I once was lost, but now am found, / was blind, but now I see.’

(Mostly from the Encounter with God)