Corpus Psalterium · Vol. I
Psalm XIV (14)
Didactic — Corruption Declaration
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 14 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
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.
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִילָ֗ה אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֽוֹב׃
Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.
יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֪יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃
They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.
הַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֪ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh?
הֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ כָּל־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃
There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.
שָׁ֤ם ׀ פָּ֣חֲדוּ פָ֑חַד כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בְּד֣וֹר צַדִּֽיק׃
You frustrate the plan of the poor, because Yahweh is his refuge.
עֲצַת־עָנִ֥י תָבִ֑ישׁוּ כִּ֖י יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסֵֽהוּ׃
Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
מִ֥י יִתֵּ֣ן מִצִּיּוֹן֮ יְשׁוּעַ֪ת יִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה שְׁב֣וּת עַמּ֑וֹ יָגֵ֥ל יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב יִשְׂמַ֥ח יִשְׂרָֽאֵל׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
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 the children of man
to see
if there are any
who understand
who seek God
They have all turned aside
Together
they have become corrupt
There is no one who does good
Not even one
No one does good
No one does good
Not even one
Do they not know
all these evildoers
who devour my people
as they eat bread
and do not call
on the LORD
There they are
overcome with fear
For God
is with the righteous generation
You would shame
the plans of the poor
But the LORD
is his refuge
Oh that salvation for Israel
would come out of Zion
When the LORD restores
His people
Jacob will rejoice
Israel will be glad
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.