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Grow With Me

Psalms 14:2–3

God looks down from heaven for anyone who seeks him

2YHWH from the heavens looked down upon human beings to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks Elohim.

3All have turned aside, together they have become perverted; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.

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In its context

1For the director. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no Elohim.” They have become corrupt, they have made abominable their deeds; there is no one who does good.

…

4Do they not know, all who work wickedness, who eat my people as they eat bread, and do not call on YHWH?

5There they were filled with dread, for Elohim is in the generation of the righteous.

Read all of Psalms 14

Its words in the original

  • יְהוָהyehva· YHWH

    The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

  • שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky

    The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".

  • הִשְׁקִיףhishkif· look down

    Look down from above, look out (of a window).

  • בְּנֵיbene· son

    Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).

  • אָדָםadam· human being, man, Adam

    The Hebrew word "adam". It has three uses: (1) humanity in general, men and women alike: "human beings" (Genesis 1:27); (2) a particular man; in Genesis 2-4, the first man, "the man"; (3) the personal name of that first man, "Adam". In Hebrew "adam" sounds like "adamah", the ground he was formed from (Genesis 2:7).

  • רְאוֹתreot· see

    See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".

  • מַשְׂכִּילmaskil· act wisely, understand

    Act wisely, understand, have insight; make wise, teach. Also succeed, prosper.

  • דֹּרֵשׁdoresh· seek, inquire

    Seek earnestly; inquire; require an account. Turned toward God, consult him or seek him.

  • אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods

    The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

  • סָרsar· turn aside, remove

    Turn aside, turn away; remove, take away.

  • יַחְדָּוyachdav· together

    Together, at the same time.

  • נֶאֱלָחוּneelachu· become corrupt

    To be corrupted, to go bad morally, like something that turns sour or muddy.

  • עֹשֵׂהose· do, make

    Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.

  • טוֹבtov· good

    Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".

  • אֶחָדechad· one

    One; only, the same. Also "first" in a series.

Grace