People without God:Psalm 53

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good” (Psalm 14:1, NASB).

There is a great difference between the person that acknowledges God and the person that says that there is no God. This is a truth that I have noticed as I talk with people and watch television talk programs. I don’t use social media much, but when I occasionally do I notice the same thing. I have noticed that God has less influence on American culture in 2022 than in 1966 when I graduated from high school. Now, let us not think that God’s righteousness and His justice has changed over the years. No, God is immutable—He has not changed. However, as the years have passed by there has been an increase in the percentage of people that acknowledge God as the source of knowledge and wisdom. At the same time there has been an increase in belief that human beings are capable of solving their own problems without the assistance and dependability upon a God who appears in an ancient text known as the Bible. Thus, in 2022 we can solve our own problems. Let me say that the scriptures such as Matthew 24:10-14 record that God has already declared that because human beings acknowledge Him less, human society with have an increase in problems that people cannot find a solution for.

Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 were written by David. David observed that people who deny the existence of God think and act in ways that corrupt themselves and corrupt the world in which they live. In these two Psalms, David, king of the Jews, does not limit his observation to Jews only. Rather, David observes that this is a universal reality. The apostle Paul referred to these Psalms when he wrote about how the lack of God in people’s thinking and living means that all people live under sin. In Romans 3:10-12 Paul quotes Psalm 14; 53. Paul writes: “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good” (NASB). With this said, let me mention three observations that support the assertion that there is a decrease in God-based life in America and around the world.

I know this man, I’ll call him Atheism. Atheism says that here is no God. There may have been a time when people needed to believe in God and to depend on a God. Atheism says that this is no longer true. We no longer need a God like the one referred to in the Bible. Atheism talks about his travels around the world. He has proven that there is no God. Yesterday, I had a conversation with Atheism. I mentioned that my mother had often said to me that there would come a day when people would do wrong thinking that they were doing the will of God. Atheism responded that “God said that He is not the author of confusion.” Yet he has traveled to India and seen millions of Hindu living together in harmony. At the same time people in America are living fighting one another, and “that’s confusion to me.” So, let us analyze what Atheism said.

Remember, Atheism has said that there is no God. If he really believes that there is no God why does he refer to a God that he believes does not exist and not needed in the world today? This is the point. People say that there is no God. They do things their own way. At the same time, I have observed that these same people look to the church—the people of God for assistance during times of natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes. I have noticed that those who deny God may protest against prayer in school, Christian prayers in public spaces, but when disasters come no one protest against prayer. No one rejects the assistance of God and His people when disasters come.

The psalmist writes that those who say that there is no God “are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good” (Psalm 53:1, NASB). One of the programs that my wife and I watch in the morning is “The View.” This panel of women gives their opinions on different political matters as well as situations that call for moral and ethical considerations. These women and their guests offer their opinions. Sometimes they say that the constitution says that there is to be a separation between church and state; especially when the church takes a stand on issues that they do not agree with. However, they are quick to quote scripture when they want to use them to support their opinion. Now, this is what I have noticed. These people are not seeking God. They do not acknowledge the authority of God. They do not seek the righteousness of God. Instead, they go about establishing their own righteousness. The scriptures are valid only if they can use them to support their own agenda. For me, this is evil.

The psalmist says that the wicked have no knowledge of God. Their lack of knowledge of God causes them to oppose the people of God. During the time of David, it was often the poor and the weak that sought the Lord. The wicked abused them. They therefore depended on the Lord saying: “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1-2, NASB). The good news is that God comes to the rescue of His people. The psalmist writes: “Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad” (Psalm 53:6, NASB).

In every area of human society in America and around the world there is an increase in crimes, violence, drug addiction, mental health issues, disease, and injustices. I ask a rhetorical question. Why are things getting worse in a world that has more scientific knowledge? Why are there so many hungry and homeless children in a country with so much wealth? Why are people feeling more stress than people of yesteryears had even though they had so much less that people have today? I suggest that it is because the world has told itself that there is no God. If there is no God, we have no one to pray to. We have no help outside ourselves. According to the psalmist people who say that there is no God lack the intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom of God to guide their lives every day. They have no God to trust and depend upon in times of troubles, trials, and tribulations. We are fools if we say that there is no God.