What is the meaning of Psalm 14:3? All have turned away Psalm 14:3 opens with an all-inclusive statement: “All have turned away”. • “All” leaves no exceptions; humanity as a whole has veered off God’s path. Romans 3:12 echoes this verse word-for-word, showing how the New Testament views this as universal. • Turning away pictures a deliberate choice, not an accidental drift—similar to Isaiah 53:6, “We all like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way.” • The verse reminds us that sin is first a relational departure from the living God (Jeremiah 2:13). they have together become corrupt The next phrase shows that wandering hearts lead to spoiled character: “they have together become corrupt.” • “Together” stresses that corruption is a shared condition, much like Genesis 6:12 where “all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” • Corruption speaks of moral decay—what was made good is now spoiled, unusable for its intended purpose (Ephesians 4:22). • This corporate guilt demolishes any illusion that we can isolate ourselves from the fallenness around us (1 Corinthians 15:33). there is no one who does good The psalmist sharpens the indictment: “there is no one who does good.” • The standard for “good” is God’s own flawless righteousness (Mark 10:18). By that measure, every human effort falls short (Ecclesiastes 7:20). • The phrase does not deny that people perform socially commendable acts; it declares that no deed, untouched by sin, meets God’s holy benchmark (Isaiah 64:6). • This prepares the ground for grace, revealing our need for a righteousness outside ourselves (Titus 3:5). not even one The closing words slam shut any remaining loophole: “not even one.” • The repetition underscores the point—no hidden exception, no secret saint (1 Kings 8:46). • By eliminating the “one,” the psalm levels us all before God, so salvation must be entirely His initiative (John 6:44). • The absolute language magnifies the sufficiency of Christ, the only “Righteous One” who fulfills what no human could (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18). summary Psalm 14:3 paints a sobering, universal portrait: every person has turned from God, corruption is collective, genuine goodness (by God’s standard) is absent, and there are zero exceptions. The verse demolishes self-reliance and drives us to the only true refuge—God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ. |
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