The Climb (A Journey Through Psalms for Men)

Psalm 14

For the director of music. Of David.

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

The Lord looks down from heavenon all mankindto see if there are any who understand,any who seek God.All have turned away, all have become corrupt;there is no one who does good,not even one.

Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;they never call on the Lord.But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,for God is present in the company of the righteous.You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,but the Lord is their refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!When the Lord restores his people,let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

I don't know if you've had this feeling, but I'd bet everything that you have. Maybe it was in the quiet of a fresh morning. Perhaps it was in the chaos of a night lived well with friends. It could have been in an arena with tens of thousands. Maybe it was halfway up a mountainside on a hike. Wherever it was, I'd bet that the feeling came upon you so quickly that you needed a second to recognize it, almost like catching your breath. The feeling?

God is near.

I think it's entirely possible that as Christians, as men of God, we could read Psalm 14 and scoff at the “fools.” How could anyone say in their heart, “There is no God?” How could someone become so focused on the idols surrounding them that they overlook the true God entirely? How foolish of them. We would never.

(Anyone else just wince?)

How many times this week have you felt the pull of pride tempting you to govern your own life? How often do we choose what we want to do over what God has called us to do? We rebel in big and small ways every day, exercising what Tim Keller would call practical atheism—acting as if we are on the same level or know more about ourselves than God.

This is destructive. When we forgo asking God for His wisdom and guidance and go our own way, we cease to seek after God.

But there is good news. God wants to be found, and so He does not condemn us for our rebellion. Our internal desire for eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11) is a reminder that God wants us to search for Him and to find Him. Will there be moments when you realize you have once again strayed from God’s path? Yes, but God is still present and patient with you. His mercies are new each morning, and His grace is sufficient to lead you back to Him. Don’t ever forget that while it is true that being a man after God’s heart means fighting alongside your brothers to draw near to God, He has always already made the first move towards intimacy with you through the sacrifice of Jesus. God is near to you today, Brother. Rejoice in the salvation He purchased for you.