Psalm 14: The Plans of the Poor

Psalm 14
The Plans of the Poor

1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.

◇ We constantly hear heartbreaking and sad news. Recently, a fire claimed the lives of 23 people. Many have taken their own lives due to rental scams. And many still cannot escape their suffering.

What are the plans of the poor? I think about an essay I read as a child called "The Happiness of a Poor Day." It’s a story about a poor couple worrying about their next meal, but filled with love. The plans of the poor are probably a warm meal and a comfortable place to rest. Not a luxurious feast or a mansion with 99 rooms, but a simple table with loved ones, sharing stories. These are not grandiose plans. They are dreams I share as well.

But there are those who mock and destroy these small hopes in an instant. They are likely those who say there is no God (verse 1). The psalmist calls them fools. How foolish to commit all kinds of evil, thinking there is no God, when God is watching over the world. They are more foolish than an ostrich hiding its head, thinking it’s safe because it can’t see.

God is watching the world. He looks to see if there are any who seek him, those who live righteously, those who suffer unjustly and cry out, and those who mock God and do evil. He watches them all with keen eyes.

The psalmist says that God is a refuge. Though the wicked bring sorrow and pain to the poor, God is their refuge.

God is my refuge.

♧ God, thank you for having mercy on those who shed innocent blood and for being their refuge. Hear their cries, comfort them, and give them rest. Amen.