Summer in the Psalms: Psalm 14
Overview
As we dig into our Wisdom Psalms this month, today, we are going to look at the wisdom found in Psalm 14. This Psalm particularly compares the fool and the righteous, which shows us that we have all fallen short. We are all in need of a righteous Savior to save us from our own foolishness and misconduct (v. 7). As we go deeper in faith, we realize that our Biblical standards only rise, not lower. What does it mean to be righteous in a foolish culture? In this guide, we are going to navigate pursuing Biblical righteousness over foolish self-righteousness. The goal for this table talk is to explore our own need for pursuing wisdom while also growing our hearts for the lost.
Read
Psalm 14:1-7
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon the Lord?
There they are in great terror,
for God is with the generation of the righteous.
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 the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Discuss
ICEBREAKER: Spending our summer in the Psalms, we recognize that reading the Word is a form of worship or prayer. Would you consider studying a part of worship or prayer? What other forms of prayer do you practice that might not “look like” prayer at first glance?
Read Through Psalm 14 as a group: What words or phrases stood out to you? What is God looking for in this Psalm?
How does the psalmist describe the fool? How does learning about foolishness point us to wisdom?
(Vs 2-4) What distinguishes Biblical righteousness from Christian thinking “self-righteousness”? How can we be sure of what we know without arrogantly mishandling the truth?
(Vs 5) “For God is with the generation of the righteous.”
What traits about our generation show righteousness? What characteristics of our generation show the need for righteousness?
What standard of righteousness are we often tempted to replace God’s standard with?
Do standards of righteousness change as we pursue the Lord?
Call to Action
What can we learn from Psalm 14 about our care for the unbelievers?
How can we protect ourselves from hard hearts and self-righteousness as we encounter those who choose not to know the Lord or the “Fools” we may encounter in our work, school, etc.?
How can we practice the joy and rejoicing this psalm refers to?
