Psalm 14 Verse-by-Verse

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Back to Psalm 14 overview page.

Welcome to the DRAFT Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 14!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

  1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
  2. The verse in Hebrew and English.[1]
  3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.[2]
  4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.[3]
  5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Folly of the fool (vv. 1-3)

v. 1

Watch the Overview video on v. 1.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
ss לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד For the director. By David.
1a אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים The fool has said to himself, “There is no God”.
1b הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִילָ֗ה They have corrupted [their deeds]; they have done abominable deeds;
1c אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֽוֹב׃ there is none who does good.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the director. By David.

The fool has said to himself, “There is no God (who will know, care, or do anything about the bad things I do,) (so I can act with impunity because no god will hold me accountable).” (That is why) They (the fools,) have corrupted [their deeds] (from the good deeds they should do). They (the fools) have done abominable deeds. There is none (among the fools) who does good.

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.1.jpg

Notes

v. 2

Watch the Overview video on v. 2.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
2a יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֪יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם YHWH looked down from heaven upon humans
2b לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל in order to see: "Is there one who acts wisely,
2c דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃ who seeks after God?"

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH looked down from (his throne in) heaven upon humans (irony alert!) in order to see: "Is there is one who acts wisely, who seeks after God, (and has not done abominable deeds)?"

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.2.jpg

Notes

v. 3

Watch the Overview video on v. 3.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
3a הַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֪ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt;
3b אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃ there is no one who does good; there is not even one.

Expanded Paraphrase

(YHWH sees that) All (humans) (not just fools) have turned away (from the good path of seeking after God). All alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good. There is not even one (who does good). (All humans are like the fool.)

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.3.jpg

Notes

Insight of the oppressed (vv. 4-6)

v. 4

Watch the Overview video on v. 4.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
4a הֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ כָּל־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י Do they not understand – all those who do evil,
4b אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם who eat my people as they have eaten food,
4c יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃ who have not called upon YHWH?

Expanded Paraphrase

Do they not understand (that they are wrong, and they will be held accountable)(they, meaning) all those who do evil (thinking they'll get away with it), who eat my people (i.e. abused them for selfish gain) as they have eaten food (casually, with no thought to their evil actions), who have not called upon YHWH?

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.4.jpg

Notes

v. 5

Watch the Overview video on v. 5.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
5a שָׁ֤ם ׀ פָּ֣חֲדוּ פָ֑חַד Then they would have feared a fear,
5b כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בְּד֣וֹר צַדִּֽיק׃ because God is with the righteous group.

Expanded Paraphrase

Then (if they did understand how wrong they are) they would have feared a fear, because (they would have seen that) God is with the righteous group (and they would recognise that God will hold them accountable for the wrong they've done).

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.5.jpg

Notes

v. 6

Watch the Overview video on v. 6.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
6a עֲצַת־עָנִ֥י תָבִ֑ישׁוּ You would put to shame the insight of the oppressed,
6b כִּ֖י יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסֵֽהוּ׃ because YHWH is his refuge.

Expanded Paraphrase

(Yet, the wicked do not know. Instead,) You (wicked) would put to shame the insight of the oppressed (which is that YHWH will ultimately care for them), because YHWH is his (king and) refuge (and you think YHWH doesn't care, so you mock those who do think so).

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.6.jpg

Notes

Deliverance (v. 7)

v. 7

Watch the Overview video on v. 7.

v. Hebrew Close-but-clear
7a מִ֥י יִתֵּ֣ן מִצִּיּוֹן֮ יְשׁוּעַ֪ת יִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל Oh, that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
7b בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה שְׁב֣וּת עַמּ֑וֹ When YHWH restores the fortunes of his people,
7c יָגֵ֥ל יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב יִשְׂמַ֥ח יִשְׂרָֽאֵל׃ let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Expanded Paraphrase

(In spite of all this, I know that YHWH will be true to his word. Even when I do not see him at work, I trust in his covenant. Therefore, I pray with confidence:) Oh, that deliverance for Israel would come from (YHWH who dwells in) Zion! When YHWH restores the fortune of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Grammatical Diagram

Ps 14 - Phrase v.7.jpg

Notes

Legends

Grammatical diagram

  Grammatical Diagram Legend

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

Visualization Description
3 Legends - Prepositional Phrase.png
The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
3 Legends - Construct Chain.png
The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
3 Legends - phrase-level ו.png
When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
3 Legends - Article.png
The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

References

14

  1. The Hebrew text comes from Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, which presents the text of the Leningrad Codex (the Masoretic text). The English text is our own "Close-but-clear" translation (CBC). The CBC is a “wooden” translation that exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text. It is essentially an interlinear that has been put into English word-order. It is also similar to a “back-translation” (of the Hebrew) often used in Bible translation checking. It is important to remember that the CBC is not intended to be a stand-alone translation, but is rather a tool for using the Layer by Layer materials. The CBC is used as the primary display text (along with the Hebrew) for most analytical visualisations. It is also used as the display text for most videos.
  2. A legend for the expanded paraphrase is available near the bottom of this page, in the section titled "Legends."
  3. Legends for both the grammatical diagram and the shapes and colours on the grammatical diagram are available near the bottom of this page, in the section titled "Legends."