Psalms 14:2

Psalms 14:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

Context of Psalms 14:2

1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. Yhwh looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon Yhwh.

Psalms 14:2 word by word

יְֽהוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֪יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵשׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• looked downשָׁקַףshâqaph · to lookH8259
• from heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• upon the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• if thereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• were any that did understandשָׂכַלώâkal · be prudentH7919
• seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Psalms 14:2

• Psalms 33:13Yhwh looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
• Psalms 102:19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did Yhwh behold the earth;
• Genesis 6:12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
• Genesis 11:5And Yhwh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
• Genesis 18:21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
• Isaiah 63:15Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
• Isaiah 64:1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
• Lamentations 3:50Till Yhwh look down, and behold from heaven.
• Psalms 82:5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
• Psalms 107:43Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of Yhwh.
• Proverbs 2:9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
• Proverbs 8:5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
• Proverbs 9:4Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
• Isaiah 27:11When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.
• Jeremiah 4:22For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• Daniel 12:10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Commentaries on Psalms 14:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The Lord looked down from heaven - Words spoken after the manner of men. From this glorious eminence God is represented as looking down upon the habitable globe, to see if there were any that did understand that there was a Supreme Being, the governor and judge of men; and, in consequence, seek God for his mercy, support, and defense.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The Lord looked down from heaven - The original word here - שׁקף shâqaph - conveys the idea of “bending forward,” and hence, of an intense and anxious looking, as we bend forward when we wish to examine anything with attention, or when we look out for one who is expected to come. The idea is that God looked intently, or so as to secure a close examination, upon the children of men, for the express purpose of ascertaining whether there were any that were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3From heaven (Psalms 33:13; 80:14; 102:19), the Lord sees the wicked, who are clearly evil (Psalm 11:3–5). All humans lack wisdom and do not live in the way God originally intended for them (Psalm 10:4–11; see Romans 1–3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. looked--in earnest enquiry. understand--as opposed to "fool" [Psa 14:1].Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 14:2

• Depravity of Man
• Godlessness
• Quotations and Allusions
• Seekers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Aside
• Corrupt
• Eat
• Fool
• None
• Shame
• Anthropology
• Belly

Commentaries on Psalms 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings