Would you turn to Psalm 14, 14th
Psalm. Before I read it, this Psalm
is repeated in Psalm 53, and that gives us some idea of the
importance of this Psalm. There's only two psalms that
are repeated. Psalm 14 and Psalm 18 is repeated in 2 Samuel 22. But why would God the Holy Spirit
have something repeated twice? Another introductory remark about
this psalm, it's called to the chief musician in the first psalm
and a mascal in Psalm 53. That means it's meant to be sung. This is part of public worship.
And a mascal means a song of instruction, something to teach
us. So let's keep that in mind as
we read Psalm 14. The fool has said in his heart,
no, God, notice there is in italics, The fool has said in his heart,
no, God, they are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand
and seek God. They are all gone aside. they
are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. Have all of the workers of iniquity
no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they
eat bread and call not upon the Lord? There were they in great
fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous. You have shamed
the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge. Oh, that
the salvation of Israel will come out of Zion. When the Lord
bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice
and Israel shall be glad. Let's pray. Lord, we come into your presence
with thanksgiving. And Lord, we have some understanding
that our thanksgiving is accepted through thy son. And we come
only in his name, pleading his merits and the power and efficacy
of his blood and the power of his intercession.
And we ask in his name that your gospel would be preached in the
power of your spirit. We ask in his name that you drive
away any thoughts that would hinder us in hearing from you.
We ask in his name that you would deliver us from hearing the words
of a man, but that we might hear thy gospel in the power of your
spirit. Lord, we confess our sins. We
pray for forgiveness and cleansing. We pray that Christ would be
exalted, that you'd give us grace to see his beauty, love him more,
and love one another more. We ask that you'd unite our hearts
together to fear your name. Lord, those that are going through
physical troubles and trials at this time, we pray for your
blessing upon them. And Lord, we would By your grace, be servants one
to another. Be with all your people wherever
they meet together. In Christ's name we pray, amen. I think it's so interesting that
this song was meant to be used to sing publicly. And when we
read the words of that psalm, how do you think this would line
up with your average praise tune of today? You know, I will praise
him, all the things people say. Don't think it would line up
very well. But yet this psalm is used to be sung in public
worship. Now this psalm is quoted by Paul
in Romans chapter three. Would you turn with me there
for a moment? Romans chapter 3. Beginning in verse 9. What then? Are we, speaking of
the Jews, better than they, speaking of the Gentiles, no, in no wise,
For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are
all under sin, as it is written. And he goes on to quote Psalm
14. As it is written, there's none
righteous, no, not one. There's none that understands,
There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable. There's none that doeth good.
No, not one. Now this is God's testimony of
Jew and Gentile, which means it's God's testimony of me and
you. All are under sin. And then he
gives four nones from this 14th Psalm. There's, look at it again. None righteous, no not one. There's
none that understands. There's none that seeks after
God. They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There's none that doeth good,
no not one. Now what this is teaching, is
what is known as the total depravity of man and the total inability
of man. Now, what do those two things
mean? Total depravity means this. Everything about us is depraved. People who speak of free will,
they would say, well, the will is not under the dominion of
sin. But total depravity says every aspect we have, our affections,
Our will, our understanding, everything about us is under
the dominion of sin. That's why the idea of free will
is so ridiculous. Your will is under the dominion
of a corrupt nature. That's what total depravity means.
Everything about us is under the dominion of sin. As it's
written, there's none righteous, no not one. Total inability means
none of us have the ability to do anything that is needed for
our salvation. And I think the verse that would
summarize that is John 6, 44, no man can come to me. It doesn't say no man may come
to me. You can come if you want to.
Doors open wide. Doesn't say no man may come,
it says no man can come to me. Except the Father which has sent
me, draw him. And that word is not, well it
means drag. Drag, now you come willingly.
But the only reason you come willingly is he drags you to
himself. That is the meaning of that scripture. And hence, when we talk about
total depravity and total inability, none righteous, none that understands,
none that seeks, all are unprofitable, we see our need of the grace
of God. We see our need of the Lord Jesus
Christ. we see our need of him to do
something for us. Now with that in mind, turn back
to Psalm 14. The fool has said in his heart,
there is no God. Now, that is really not a reference
to someone who's an atheist. You'll notice that there he is,
is in italics. The fool has said, no, God. No God for me. I don't agree
with that. I reject that with regard to
God. No, God. Now, with regard to
atheism, Somebody says, I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God.
Well, I don't believe you. I don't believe you. Everybody
knows that God is. Somebody says, I really don't.
I don't believe it. I don't believe it for a second. You're born
intuitively. I'm born intuitively knowing
that God is. to deny the existence of God
is somebody just suppressing the implications of it and trying
to say, no, I don't like that. If that were true, then this
would be true. I don't like it, therefore I'm
going to deny it. Now, the existence of God, there
are logical proofs of the existence of God that make sense. Cosmological, the telelogical,
the ontological. Somebody says, what are you using
words like that for? I don't know. They're given as logical
proofs of the existence of God, but they're not needed. They're
not needed. You and I are born into this
world knowing that God is. Turn with me to Romans chapter
one. Hold your finger in Psalm 14. Verse 20. Let's start with verse 19. Because
that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God has
showed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen. Being understood by the things
that are made. This is what creation says. Being
understood by the things that are made. And here's what every
man knows. Without special revelation, without
the revelation of the Holy Spirit, everybody knows that God is eternal. Nobody made him. He's all powerful. He made this universe. Everybody
can just look at creation. Everybody in the world that's
ever lived has known that. Now, you might suppress it. You
might not like the implications of it and say, well, I don't
believe in God. An atheist does that, I suppose. But everybody
knows God's eternal power and Godhead, so that they're without
excuse. There's no excuse for this. But like I said, this is
not about refuting the atheist. has nothing to do with it. The fool says in his heart, no
to God. What do you mean by that? God
is sovereign. He hath mercy on whom he will
have mercy. Whom he will, he heartens. The fool says no. I don't agree
with that. I don't believe that. You know
all you gotta do is say you believe in free will and you're saying
no to God's sovereign will. It's saying no to God. It's saying
no to any of his attributes. God is immutable. He can't change. No, I won't have a God like that.
My God's not like that. God is absolutely unapproachably
holy. No, I don't agree with that.
God is whatever attribute you want to name that is revealed
in the Word of God, the fool says no to that. I don't agree
with that. I don't like that. I don't like
God being that way. It's because the natural man
has no love for God. None at all. And his objection
to God will not have this man reign over us. We don't agree
with this. We don't like this. It's amazing
to me that men, it's not amazing to me because I know me, but
I shouldn't say it's amazing to me, where men, sinful men,
sit in judgment of God and say, I don't agree with that. It's
amazing, isn't it? has said in his heart, no God
for me, it's no to the revelation of God. You see, while we can
know things about God from creation, we can't know him unless he reveals
himself to us. And when he reveals himself to
us, that's when we know him. But the man who has no revelation
from God, He says no to God. Now look what David says about
these ones who say no to God. They are corrupt. This is speaking of the sinfulness
of human nature. This man who says no to God,
when God's so altogether glorious, he's so altogether lovely, He's
so beautiful and glorious in who He is. Somebody that says
no to Him, they're corrupt. That's all that can be said.
They're corrupt. They have done abominable works.
That means all their works because of the corruption of their nature,
all of their works, whatever it is, is abominable. I think
the scripture that speaks so powerfully of this is found in
Proverbs, where we read in the book of Proverbs that the plowing
of the wicked is sin. Now, I can't think of anything
that seems more wholesome than going out and plowing. going
out and plowing up the land maybe to provide food for your family
or maybe even to provide food for the poor. I mean, it seems
like a very wholesome thing to do, doesn't it? I can't think
of any more wholesome than going out and plowing, working hard,
sweating to produce food to help people. Well, the scripture says,
the plowing of the wicked is sin. If I have a sinful heart, If
I have a sinful nature, that means everything that I do is
sin. Even while I'm up here trying
to preach, it's sin. Well, how can I listen to you
then? You better. But it's still sin, because I
did it. Corrupt, they're abominable in
their works, Look what the last phrase of verse one says, there
is none that doeth good. Somebody says, well, he's a good
man. No, he's not. I don't care how moral, I don't
care how upstanding, and I'm all for that. But in God's sight,
every man, there's no difference between men. You take out the
most moral man and the most immoral man, in God's sight, they're
all together corrupt. And the only reason that I would
not see this is I've never seen who God is. If I see who God
is. I see the truth concerning myself.
I'm not good. I'm abominable. All my works
are abominable. I am a sinner. And the only way anybody will
ever come up with that conclusion is when they've seen who God
is. He's revealed himself to them, and that makes them see
to some measure what they are. And I said some measure. I don't
wanna know how bad I am. I don't wanna know how bad you
are. I just wanna believe what the Bible says. If you want to
know how bad you are, don't look at any of your works, look to
the cross. God leaves you to yourself. You
will be one of those people murdering the Son of God. Now, that is
the truth with regard to me and you. There's none that doeth
good. No, not even one. Can you say amen to that? Do
you believe that? That's what God's word says.
Let's go on reading. Verse two. The Lord looked down
from heaven upon the children of men. I love the imagery of
that. The Lord in his high and holy place looking down upon
the children of men. That's talking about every man,
woman, boy, and girl to ever live. the Lord looked down from
heaven. And I want us to remember this,
how the Lord sees things is how they are. How you and I see things,
we don't see things as they are. You know, with regard to we don't
see ourselves the way we really are, I'm thankful for that. The
Lord's the only one who knows. Events. We can't make a proper
judgment on anything with regard to anybody because we don't see
everything. We don't know what's going on.
We don't know what's behind the scenes. I don't even know what's
behind the scenes in my own heart. The Lord sees things as they
are though. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand. If there were any that did seek
God, they are all gone aside. They are together become filthy. There is none that doeth good.
No, not one. There is no one who understands
who God is and who they are. Nobody. Not by nature. There's none that understands.
There's none that seeks after God. Now, if God is, what am
I to do? I'm to seek him. I mean, that
takes precedent over everything, doesn't it? If God is, my main
purpose in life is to seek him. And yet the scripture says there
is none that seek after God. Somebody says, well, I have.
No, you haven't. Not unless he first said to you
the way he said to David, when the Lord said, seek ye my face,
my heart said, thy face, O Lord, will I seek. That's when you
seek the Lord, when he puts it in your heart to seek him. But
until then, you won't do it. You're not interested. There's none that seeks. There's
none that understands. The natural man can't possibly
understand the things of God. Now he might understand Calvinism,
the logic of it. He might understand Arminianism,
the logic of it. But he doesn't understand grace.
There's none that understands the grace of God. He says in verse three, They
are all gone aside. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way. They've all gone aside. Everyone is veered off. Turn
with me for a moment to Isaiah chapter one. Job said, how much
more abominable and filthy is man who drinketh iniquity like
water? But look at this scriptural testimony,
Isaiah one. Verse four, all sinful nation. A people laden with iniquity,
a seed of evildoers, children that are corruptors, that have
forsaken the Lord. They have provoked the Holy One
of Israel into anger. They are going away backward.
Why should you be stricken anymore? Think about this. What good does
chasing do you? What's it done? Judgment doesn't
change anybody. They're still the same. Why should
you be stricken anymore? You revolt more and more, the
whole head is sick. The whole heart faint from the
sole of the foot even to the head. There is no soundness in
it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores that have not
been clothed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Look at Isaiah 64. There are so many scriptures
with regard to this. Isaiah 64. Verse 6, but we, Isaiah is including
himself in this. But we are all as an unclean
thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. And we all do fade as a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. There's
none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take
hold of thee, For thou hid thy face from us and has consumed
us because of our iniquities now. That's Isaiah's testimony
with regard himself now Why make a point of all this One reason I need Jesus Christ. I need him to undertake for me.
I need him to do everything for me. I need him to keep the law
for me. I need him to put away my sins. I need for him as the king of
kings to cause me to come to him. I need him to preserve me.
I need His grace. That's the point behind all this.
It's not just negative speaking of the corruption of humanity.
This is talking about everybody in here's need of Jesus Christ. I hope this is making everybody
in here say, Lord, save me. If you don't save me, I won't
be saved. I'm toast if you don't do something for me. That is
the point behind this. Verse three, they're all gone
aside, they are together, become filthy. There's none that doeth
good, no, not one, not even one. Have all, verse four, have all
the workers of iniquity, no knowledge, who eat up my people as they
eat bread and call not upon the Lord. Now, David speaks of the
workers of iniquity, and that's what all men by nature are, they
have no knowledge. They have no knowledge, no true
saving knowledge of God. They have no knowledge. And they
don't call upon the Lord. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved, but they don't do that because
they don't have any love for him. They don't call upon the
name of the Lord. They eat up God's people as they
would eat bread. They have no love for God's people.
Verse five, there were they in great fear. Now this is talking
about the workers of iniquity. And this is not the fear of God
that is the beginning of wisdom. This is the fear of mistrust.
This is the fear of no love for God. The scripture says, the
wicked fleeth when no man pursueth. This is the fear of mistrust. For there were they in great
fear, and here's what scares them to death, for God is in
the generation of the righteous. Now what that is a reference
to is Christ in you, the hope of glory. God is in the generation
of the righteous. And this is what every believer
is called, and I hope we can get hold of this. If God calls
me righteous, I'm righteous. I have the righteousness of Christ
and my personal righteousness before God. And righteousness
means without sin, without guilt. If you're righteous, that means
you have a perfect standing before God's holy law. God's law looks
you over and says, I'm pleased. I'm pleased with everything about
him. He's altogether righteous. What's it say? There were they
in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteousness.
Now, that's Christ in you. You know the reason you're righteous?
Because Christ put away your sins. Because he gave you his
righteousness, and he gave you the new birth, and he was born
into you, and he's in the generation of the righteous. And the unbeliever
stands back from that with great fear. And he says to the unbeliever,
you shame the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his
refuge. Now, what is the counsel of the poor? What is the advice
of the poor? Look to Christ only. That's the counsel of the poor.
Why do they look to Christ only? Because they're poor. They don't
have anything else to plead. They don't have anywhere else
to look. They're poor. But he says to the wicked, you
shame the counsel, the good counsel, the good advice of the poor.
It means nothing to you. Because the Lord is his refuge, his protection
place, and you just can't see it. Verse seven. Oh, that the
salvation of Israel will come out of Zion. When the Lord bringeth
back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel
shall be glad. Now, when David wrote this, what's
he talking about the captivity of his people? Because the captivity
Didn't happen for hundreds of years when they were brought
into Babylon and held captive. So what's David talking about
when he talks about when the Lord brings back the captivity
of his people? Then Jacob shall rejoice, Israel
shall be glad. Do you know anything about what
Paul meant in Romans chapter seven, verse 14? When he said,
we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Now I would not, let's just go with what the Bible
says. This is every believer's view of himself. I'm carnal,
fleshly. I am a slave to sin. That's what
Paul said. What was Paul doing? I just wouldn't
quit thinking like that. He was talking about his experience
as a sinner. And when God brings back the
captivity of his people, when I'm finally delivered. One thing,
I know this with regard to every believer, I would never sin again.
I would be without sin. I would be just like Christ. And I'm not really going to be
able to rejoice as I want to until that captivity is turned
and I no longer have a sinful nature that I'm dealing with.
That's what he's talking to. And then for that reason, every
believer ought to look forward to dying. You see, when you put
down this flesh, you know what? The flesh is gone. The captivity
is gone. And to a believer, bondage is
sin. The fact that I sin, that's a
terrible burden. I don't want to sin. I want to
be just like Christ. And every believer, this ought
to, it didn't ought to be, it is. These things write on you
that you sin not. I don't want to sin anymore.
I don't want to commit one sin at all. But until my captivity is taken
away, I won't enter the fullness of that until I die And at that
time, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad. Now, Psalm 14, a song to be sung
in public worship, a song to instruct us about who we really
are and our need of the Lord Jesus Christ and his grace.