Psalms
Chapter 14
This psalm of David says that people who live as if there is no God turn corrupt, and that when the LORD looks over all people, he finds no one doing good. It describes wrongdoers who crush God's people and never pray to him. It says God stands with people who do right, and it ends with a wish for rescue to come from Zion so Israel can be glad.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
1The fool thinks to himself, "There is no God." People like this are rotten inside, and the things they do are ugly. Not one of them does good.
2The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
2The LORD looked down from heaven at all people. He wanted to see if anyone understood and was looking for God.
3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
3Every one of them has turned away. Together they have gone bad. No one does what is good, not even one person.
4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.
4Do people who do wrong never learn anything? They chew up my people the way they eat bread, and they never pray to the LORD.
5There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
5Then fear grabbed hold of them, because God is right there with the group of people who do what is right.
6Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
6You wreck the plans of poor people who have no power. But the LORD is their safe place.
"Shamed the counsel of the poor" does not mean embarrassing them. It means ruining the plans of people who are poor and pushed around.
7Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
7How I wish rescue for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD brings his people home again, Jacob will cheer and Israel will be glad.
Zion is the hill in Jerusalem where God's temple stood. The name is often used to mean the whole city. "Bringeth back the captivity" means bringing home people who were carried off to a foreign land.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it