Atheism

The Book of Psalms

Practical Atheism, Scene 1

A number of years ago Dr. George Gallup, president of the American Institute of Public Opinion, wrote a report of his research into the religious beliefs of Americans entitled “Is America’s Faith for Real?” He was struck by a strange anomaly. On the one hand, the answers to his questions indicated that America is unusually religious. But on the other hand, the same research showed that America’s religious beliefs make little difference in how people actually live and act.

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The Book of Psalms

Practical Atheism, Scene 2

What are the chief characteristics of those who practice this “practical atheism”? There are five of them, according to David’s treatment. Arrogance and Prosperity are the first two.

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The Book of Psalms

Practical Atheism, Scene 4

The problems the wicked create for their victims are obvious. Because they are weak, the victims of these people are “caught in the schemes” they devise and are “crushed.” But David was not one of these weak persons. He was a strong military commander and later king of Israel. Nevertheless, the success of these practical atheists created a problem for David also. What is it?

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The Book of Psalms

Practical Atheism, Scene 5

In yesterday’s devotional we pointed out the first two responses David had toward those who took advantage of the poor.  Today we begin by looking at the last response.   

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The Book of Psalms

Ship of Fools, Part 1

The Bible is a big book, but when you think about it there are not many things in the Bible that are said, word for word, more than once. If the words are repeated, it is for emphasis. They are very important. How much more, then, if they are repeated more than once? What if they are found three times?

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The Book of Psalms

Ship of Fools, Part 2

But perhaps the evidence for God is not clear, one might object. Or perhaps the human being just does not have the capacity for perceiving or understanding the revelation. That will not do, says Paul, for God has made the revelation of himself so clear that it has, in fact, been clearly seen and understood by all, so that they are without excuse for failing to seek God out and then praise and thank him.

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The Book of Psalms

Ship of Fools, Part 3

Having allowed us to listen in as the fool speaks about God, David now permits us to listen as God speaks about the fool. This true and discerning judgment is expressed in the next two verses, where David describes the Almighty as “bending over to look down from heaven upon” this folly (vv. 2, 3).

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The Book of Psalms

Ship of Fools, Part 4

The third stanza of Psalm 14 describes the way of the fool, which we have now seen to be the way of the entire human race apart from God’s special, saving intervention. There are two things said about us. First, we never seem to learn. We are practical materialists; that is, we are relentless in our efforts to use others for our advantage, profiting from them.

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The Book of Psalms

Ship of Fools, Part 5

Not only do we never learn, but the second thing that is said about us in this stanza is that we are occasionally “overwhelmed with dread” (v. 5). The psalmist expresses this in a strange way, saying literally, as the New International Version indicates: “There they are, overwhelmed with dread…” which has led many writers to wonder what specific “there” he is referring to.

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