1.0 God’s Evaluation

First,
Psalm 14:2 (KJV) “The LORD looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.” First, the LORD {Jehovah} looks down from Heaven on the Whole Human Race; the thought is that of looking intently as from the Watchtower.

• God Looks upon Humanity to see if there is any that understands and seeks after Him.
• God is Seeking for such a Person who might be seeking Him.   
• Psalm 14:1 illustrates that God is Omniscient and desires a relationship with Humanity.
• Psalm 14:2 (KJV) reveals God’s Perspective on Humanity: – God’s Search: The Lord looks down from heaven, seeking those who understand and seek Him. God’s Sovereignty: God’s active involvement in human affairs.
• Human Accountability: Psalm 14:3 highlights humanity’s accountability to God, emphasizing our need to seek and understand Him. Human Responsibility: The importance of seeking and understanding God.
• Psalm 14:3 sets the tone for the Psalm, emphasizing God’s search for those who genuinely seek Him

Second,

Psalm 14:3 suggests that God is actively looking for people who possess deep desire and are intentionally seeking Him. Psalm 14:3 is often used to emphasize the need for Humanity to actively pursue God through seeking wisdom and a deeper relationship, as opposed to a passive approach. 

• God’s Perspective: Psalm 14:2 portrays God as observing all of Humanity from a transcendent, heavenly perspective. His view is more comprehensive than any Person, as His gaze is upon all People.
• God Perceives that not one Person has spiritual understanding, and no one seeks after the Lord. This is especially true in the case of those who reject God entirely (Psalm 14:1).
• Spiritual Understanding: The term “Understand” in Psalm 14:1 refers to spiritual insight and the wisdom to live according to God’s Ways. It implies a recognition of Divine Truth/Presence that goes beyond worldly knowledge.
• Seeking God: The Phrase “seek God” indicates a deliberate, active pursuit of a relationship with Him, which involves faith, obedience, and a turning towards Him.
• Human Condition: Psalm 14:2 is often paired, which describes Humanity as having “gone aside” and become corrupt. This highlights the contrast between Human Failings and God’s Persistent Longing for those who seek Him.
• Encouragement to Pursue: Psalm 14:2 serves as an encouragement to Believers to actively engage in their faith through Prayer, Studying Scripture, and seeking a deeper Relationship with Him (God). It underscores that a relationship with God is a pursuit, not a passive state. 
• The LORD looks [down] from Heaven; He sees all the sons of man; From His dwelling place He looks closely Upon all the Inhabitants of the earth— He who fashions the hearts of them all, who considers and understands all that they do.
• Psalms remind us to remember the God who is the beginning and end of all things, to rest in His Sovereignty, and to have joy in all circumstances.

Although God has revealed Himself in nature (Psalm 19:1), the Person who lacks spiritual understanding (1 Corinthians 2:14) rejects this revelation. In Psalm 8:1 David exclaims, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth!” Paul writes in Romans 1:19–20, “For what can be known about God is plain to [everyone], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”

1.1 God’s Verdict

Psalm 14:3 (KJV) “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:3 states that “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that does good, no, not one”  

First,

Psalm 14;3 is part of a larger Psalm that describes the corrupt nature of Humanity, arguing that without God, all people have fallen short of what is right, leading them to moral decay. It is a declaration of the depravity of Humanity and the absence of any naturally righteous person in God’s eyes. 

• Context: Psalm 14:3 appears in a Psalm where “the Fool” is one who denies God’s Existence. In contrast, the righteous person understands God’s Presence and lives according to His Ways.
• Meaning: Psalm 14:3 suggests that no human is inherently good; all have turned away from God and become spiritually “filthy” or corrupt.
• Interpretation: Some interpretations view Psalm 14:3 as a description of universal sinfulness, stating that it is impossible for anyone to be truly righteous on their own.
• Related Verses: The sentiment is echoed in other parts of the Bible, such as Romans 3:10-12, which states, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one”.

Second,

The total rebellion of the Human Race: “All….together…..none…..no, not one.” The first characteristic of Humanity is that they have “gone aside” from God and became “tinted” (“filthy”) in their Nature – Job 15:16 (KJV) “How much more abominable and filthier is man, who drinks iniquity (evil) like water!” Of his own volition (will), unredeemed Person will always lean toward evil. Without God’s Grace operating in his life, his Fallen Nature can only produce Folly and Sinful Lusts. Hence, without exception, all are Workers of Evil (Iniquity):

• Gone Aside – The indictment begins with all Humanity has “gone aside” (Psalm 14:3a) means “To turn the Person’s back on God” (Jeremiah 2:21) and refused to fulfil the Purpose for which he was created – to Glorify God.
• Filthy – The word “filthy” (Psalm 14:3b), a word that describes milk that has become rancid (spoiled). Both Jews and Gentiles, without God have fallen into moral corruption: “They have all together become filthy” (Psalm 14:3b).
• Isaiah 53:6a concurs: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” – Universally, Collectively, and Individually, Human Beings are in their Sinful Nature. 
• No Seekers – There were no Seekers. The Psalmist indicted the Whole Human Race because the Human Race “Has gone aside…….there is none that does good.” (Psalm 14:3). Then in an emphatic repetition, God says “No, not one” (Psalm 14:3b).
• Paul quotes this in Romans 3:11-12 as part of the Proof that the Whole World is guilty before God. In the Divine Court Mankind has been arraigned (accused), Jews and Gentiles alike, with the verdict: “There is no difference.”
• Human Depravity does not mean all are Wicked People but rather it simply means that all have the “Fallen Nature” and apart from God’s Saving Grace through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are Eternally Lost.

1.2 Strong Objection

Psalm 14:4 (KJV) “Have all the Workers of Iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my People as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD?” 

First,

Psalm 14:4 gives us three more Indictments:Psalm 14:4 (KJV), asks if the “Workers of Iniquity,” or Evildoers, have any understanding. It describes them as those who oppress God’s People as casually as they eat bread, and who do not call on the LORD for guidance or help. This verse questions the Wicked’ s lack of knowledge and their cruel, self-serving behaviour towards the righteous. 

• Workers of Iniquity: This refers to People who live without God and act with cruelty and injustice.
• Eat up My People as they eat bread: This is a metaphor for the oppressive and casual way the Wicked harm or exploit God’s People, treating them as a daily necessity or a resource to be consumed.
• Call not upon the LORD: This emphasizes that these Individuals have no spiritual or moral guidance because they do not acknowledge or pray to God.
• Lack of Knowledge: Psalm 14:4 ultimately questions if these Evildoers have any true understanding of what they are doing or the consequences of their actions, implying they are acting with a blind, brutal indifference

Second,

Divine Injunction – Psalm 14:4a “Have all the Workers of Iniquity no knowledge?” – David marvels at the wilful ignorance of Evildoers, as do other Psalmists (Psalm 82:5). Living as if God does not exist, they can persecute God’s People without a twinge of conscience. The expression “eat up My people as they eat bread” is a metaphor for abusing others through oppression and hardship, especially the Poor and the Helpless (Proverbs 30:14; Psalm 27:1–2). This idea can also encompass other abuses of power, such as court cases (Psalm 72:2; James 2:6) or military violence (Psalm 79:1). Micah chapter 3 rebukes the Rulers of Jacob and Israel for choosing sin over goodness. This included:

• Corruption and Injustice (Micah 3:9–11). Their abuse of those whom they were supposed to lead is pictured in graphic terms similar to Psalm 14.
• Symbolically, they tear the flesh from God’s People. They “flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron” (Micah 3:3).
• Atheism – Whether through outright Atheism or Indifference, such Leaders clearly see no reason to call on the Lord (Psalm 14:1).
• Down through the Ages, God has had a Remnant of Believers who honour Him (Genesis 45:7; Romans 11:5).
• Evil Unbelievers have also been present in every age to persecute the Faithful (John 16:33).

Questions why those who do evil lack understanding of God’s Ways. It suggests that their focus on their own sinful desires makes them blind to the consequences of their actions, lacking moral discernment and the ability to seek God. 

• Lack of Knowledge: Psalm 14:4a points to a deliberate ignorance or wilful lack of understanding among those who do wrong. The first truth concerning the Wicked is they have “no knowledge” (14:4a).  That does not mean they are ignorant in the academic sense, but in the moral and spiritual sense.  They are fools, not because they have a deficiency of intellect, but because they have rejected God and therefore lack spiritual discernment and insight (Psalm 14:1).
• Psalm 14:4a (KJV) is a rhetorical question, highlighting the stark reality: wilful ignorance: Those who persist in wickedness are wilfully ignorant of God’s Ways.
• Moral Accountability: Psalm 14;4a emphasizes their accountability for their actions, implying they know what they are doing is wrong.
• God’s Justice: God’s Awareness of Human actions and intentions. Human Depravity: The Psalmist’s critique of Humanity’s sinful state.
• The question underscores the culpability of those who reject God’s ways
• Focus on Sin: They are so consumed by their own wicked desires that they fail to see the effects of their actions or consider God’s judgment.
• Moral Blindness: This lack of knowledge extends to a failure to discern between good and evil and a rejection of any moral compass.
• “Workers of Iniquity”: In this context, this refers to People who actively practice evil, including those who oppress and take advantage of others.
• Contrast with the Righteous: Psalm 14:4a is often read in contrast to God’s people, who are contrasted with the Wicked in the rest of the Psalm

It seems incomprehensible that the Lost Humanity is unaware of the results of Fall of Adam. Even the Heavens declare the Knowledge and Glory of God (Psalm 19:1). Everything in Creation reveals the Eternal Power of God (Romans 1:20). Therefore, how can the Workers of Iniquity claimed that they have no Knowledge of God? Fools do not know that these things will not be hidden from those who Pillage (Loot) God’s People as casually “as they eat bread” (Psalm 14:4b). 

Third,

Taking Advantage – Psalm 14:4b “Who eat up my People as they eat bread.” Psalm 14:4b, describes Evildoers who exploit and oppress God’s People as a normal, habitual, and effortless act, like eating a meal. Psalm14:4b, part of a larger passage (Psalm 14:4-6), portrays the Wicked as those who act with no knowledge or fear of God, consuming the righteous without remorse: 

• Exploitation: The imagery of “eating” people like bread suggests a total and ruthless consumption of their resources, security, and well-being.
• Normalizing Evil: The comparison to eating bread indicates that for these Evildoers, harming God’s People is a simple, casual, and routine part of their lives, not something they question or feel guilty about.
• Lack of Wisdom: Psalm 14:4b comes with the preceding clause, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?” which sets up the behaviour as a result of spiritual foolishness and a rejection of God’s Ways.
• Contrast with God’s people: The passage contrasts this with the righteous, who find refuge in the Lord and are secure because God is with them.

The Fool takes advantage of God’s People – To “eat People like bread” is a biblical metaphor for exploiting the Helpless (Psalm 27:2; Psalm 35:25; Psalm 53:4; Micah 3:1-3; Lamentations 2:16; Isaiah 3:12; Jeremiah 10:25; Amos 2:6-8 and Micah 2:2; 7:3). We must not use People to an end or “treating the People as Consumer Goods,” as Eugene H Peterson expresses it. The Phrase from Psalm 14:4b, “who eat up my people as they eat bread,” describes wicked people who oppress and exploit God’s People with a disturbing sense of normalcy and greed. Like eating bread, this exploitation is seen as routine, thoughtless, and with little regret, reflecting a complete disregard for their Victims. The comparison highlights their casual and habitual cruelty, and the fact that they do not call upon the Lord for help, signifying their rejection of God and His Authority. 

• Routine and thoughtless Oppression: The simile “as they eat bread” suggests that the wicked devour God’s People with the same ease and lack of remorse as they would eat a meal. The action is considered a daily, almost unthinking part of their lives.
• Casual Cruelty: The phrase implies that these Evildoers are taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable, such as the Poor, Widows, and Orphans, as a matter of habit.
• Rejection of God: Psalm 14:4b contrasts this behaviour with the act of calling upon the Lord, which is a sign of dependence and faith. The wicked’ s failure to do so signifies a wilful rejection of God’s Guidance and Sovereignty, suggesting they are acting independently and with self-sufficiency.
• Spiritual Ignorance: The preceding question in the verse, “Have they no knowledge?” emphasizes that this behaviour stems from a wilful ignorance or a denial of God’s Existence and a rejection of His Justice.

Forth,

Failure, –Psalm 14:4c “And call not upon the LORD?” Psalm 14:4c is part of a verse that describes the wicked, who “eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.” It highlights that those who oppress others live as if God is not present, acting with “a Practical Atheism” by denying God through their deeds, even though they may have some intellectual knowledge of Him. This contrasts with the righteous, who are assured of God’s Protection and will rejoice when He delivers them. 

• Context: Psalm 14:4c is from a Psalm that condemns those who live as though God does not exist. These “Workers of Iniquity” are portrayed as those who oppress and persecute the Poor and the Weak.
• Meaning of “call not upon the LORD“: This phrase signifies the Wicked’s rejection of God and His Authority in their lives. It is not just that they do not know God, but they live as if He is irrelevant, disregarding Him in their actions and priorities.
• The Wicked’s “Knowledge”: While they live as if God is absent, the Psalm suggests they are not entirely ignorant of Him. Psalm 14:5 states, “There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous,” implying that even the Wicked have a latent fear of God and His judgment, which is why they are afraid when they see God’s Power manifested in the righteous.

Corruption breeds callousness (insensitivity) toward God, for “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed.” (Romans 10:14). The Unbelievers do not call upon the Name of the LORD, these People are not only forgetful of God, but they are “Devourers of His People, eating them up as a man eats bread” (Psalm 14:4b), with enjoyment, and in their depravity, they have no inclination whatsoever to call upon the LORD (Psalm 14:4c). This is the solemn conclusion concerning Mankind. If there should be any who are different, or any exceptions, it is not by nature but by God’s Grace. By nature, and by practice Human Race are Sinners, and comes under the Solemn Divine Indictments. 

1.3 General Comments

First, Psalm 14:4 “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?”

• That is, are they so senseless as not to perceive the consequences of their wrongdoing? or if we point the verb as the LXX. and Vulg., “shall they not know?” i.e., they are sure to find out to what their wickedness is leading them.
• Who eat up. – Literally, Eating My people, they have eaten bread; on Jehovah they have not called, which is usually explained, as in Authorised Version, “to devour God’s people has been as usual and as regular as the daily meal.”
• Another rendering is “whilst eating my people they have eaten bread, regardless of Jehovah,” i.e., they have gone on in their security eating and drinking, with no thought of the vengeance preparing for them by the God of the oppressed race.

Some, however, prefer to divide the two clauses, “Ah, they shall see–all the workers of iniquity who eat my people–they eat bread (i.e., live) regardless of Jehovah.” This makes a better parallelism. A comparison with Micah 3:3-4 suggests that this verse of the Psalm 14:4 was a Proverbial saying. (For the image, comp. Jeremiah 10:25; and Homer’s “people-devouring kings.”)

Second, Psalm 14:4 “Have all the Workers of Iniquity no knowledge?” The exclamation is put in the mouth of God.

• Can it be possible that none of these Evil-Doers is aware of the results of evildoing? Do they think to escape Divine retribution?
• The “wonder expresses the magnitude of their folly” (Hengstenberg). Who eat up my people as they eat bread. Reducing men to poverty, robbing them, and devouring their substance, is called, in Scripture, devouring the men themselves (Proverbs 30:14Isaiah 3:14; Micah 3:3). Those who are plundered and despoiled are compared to “bread” in Numbers 14:2.
• The Homeric, adduced by Dr. Kay, is an instance of the same metaphor. And call not upon the Lord.
• This might have seemed scarcely to need mention, since “how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” (Romans 10:14). But it connects them with the Atheists of Psalm 14:1.

Third, Psalms 14:4 – Hatred of God and corruptness of life are the motive forces which produce persecution. Men who having no saving knowledge of Divine Things, enslave themselves to become Workers of Iniquity, have no heart to cry to the Lord for deliverance, but seek to amuse themselves with devouring the poor and despised people of God.

• It is hard bondage to be “a Worker of Iniquity;” a worker at the galleys, or in the mines of Siberia, is not more truly degraded and wretched; the toil is hard and the reward dreadful: those who have no knowledge choose such slavery, but those who are taught of God cry to be rescued from it.
• The same ignorance which keeps men bondsmen to evil, makes them hate the freeborn sons of God; hence they seek to eat them up “as they eat bread,”—daily, ravenously, as though it were an ordinary, usual, every-day matter to oppress the Saints of God.
• As pikes in a pond, eat up little fish, as eagles prey on smaller birds, as wolves rend the sheep of the pasture, so Sinners naturally and as a matter of course, persecute, malign, and mock the Followers of the Lord Jesus.

While thus preying, they forswear all praying, and in this act consistently, for how could they hope to be heard while their hands are full of blood?