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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Psalms 14:2

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after god.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Depravity of Man;   Godlessness;   Quotations and Allusions;   Seekers;   The Topic Concordance - Goodness;   Iniquity;   Righteousness;   Sin;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fall of Man, the;   Seeking God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Psalms, the Book of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Nature, Natural;   Paul the Apostle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - English Versions;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Guilt;   Psalms;   Regeneration;   Sin;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Kindness;   Quotations;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Righteousness;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Fall;   Righteousness;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anthropology;   Belly;   Foreknow;   Justification;   Omniscience;   Psalms, Book of;   Text of the Old Testament;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Tanna Debe Eliyahu;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for July 20;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for February 15;   Every Day Light - Devotion for March 16;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord looks down from heaven on the human raceto see if there is one who is wise,one who seeks God.
Hebrew Names Version
The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men, To see if there were any who did understand, Who did seek after God.
King James Version
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
English Standard Version
The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.
New Century Version
The Lord looked down from heaven on all people to see if anyone understood, if anyone was looking to God for help.
New English Translation
The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
Amplified Bible
The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the children of men To see if there are any who understand (act wisely), Who [truly] seek after God, [longing for His wisdom and guidance].
New American Standard Bible
The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind To see if there are any who understand, Who seek God.
World English Bible
Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, To see if there were any who did understand, Who did seek after God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that would vnderstand, and seeke God.
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the sons of menTo see if there is anyone who has insight,Anyone who seeks after God.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
Contemporary English Version
From heaven the Lord looks down to see if anyone is wise enough to search for him.
Complete Jewish Bible
From heaven Adonai observes humankind to see if anyone has understanding, if anyone seeks God.
Darby Translation
Jehovah looked down from the heavens upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who is wise, anyone who looks to him for help.
George Lamsa Translation
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God.
Good News Translation
The Lord looks down from heaven at us humans to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him.
Lexham English Bible
Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind to see whether there is one who has insight, one who cares about God.
Literal Translation
Jehovah looked down from Heaven on the sons of mankind, to see if there were any discerning and seeking God:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE loked downe fro heaue vpo the children of men, to se yf there were eny, that wolde vnderstonde & seke after God. But they are all gone out of the waye, they are alltogether become vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one.
American Standard Version
Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, That did seek after God.
Bible in Basic English
The Lord was looking down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who had wisdom, searching after God.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The LORD looked forth from heaven upon the children of men,
King James Version (1611)
The Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men; to see if there were any that did vnderstand and seeke God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
God loked downe from heauen vpon the children of men: to see yf there were any that did vnderstande [and] seke after the Lorde.
English Revised Version
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek after God.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord bihelde fro heuene on the sones of men; that he se, if ony is vndurstondynge, ethir sekynge God.
Update Bible Version
Yahweh looked down from heaven on the sons of man, To see if there were any that understood, That sought after God.
Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God.
New King James Version
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
New Living Translation
The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
New Life Bible
The Lord has looked down from heaven on the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand and look for God.
New Revised Standard
The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yahweh, out of the heavens, looked down over the sons of men, - to see whether there was one that showed wisdom, enquiring after God: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
(13-2) The Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there be any that understand and seek God.
Revised Standard Version
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God.
Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah from the heavens Hath looked on the sons of men, To see if there is a wise one -- seeking God.
THE MESSAGE
God sticks his head out of heaven. He looks around. He's looking for someone not stupid— one man, even, God-expectant, just one God-ready woman.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God.

Contextual Overview

1 The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, and become abominable in their devices; there is none that does goodness, there is not even so much as one. 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after god. 3 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become good for nothing, there is none that does good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The Lord: Psalms 33:13, Psalms 33:14, Psalms 102:19, Psalms 102:20, Genesis 6:12, Genesis 11:5, Genesis 18:21, Isaiah 63:15, Isaiah 64:1, Lamentations 3:50

any: Psalms 82:5, Psalms 107:43, Proverbs 2:9, Proverbs 8:5, Proverbs 9:4, Proverbs 9:16, Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 4:22, Daniel 12:10, Matthew 13:15, Romans 3:11

seek: Psalms 69:32, 2 Chronicles 19:3, 2 Chronicles 30:19, Isaiah 8:19, Isaiah 55:6, Hebrews 11:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 5:3 - in his Exodus 37:29 - incense Job 33:27 - I have sinned Psalms 10:4 - will not Psalms 78:59 - God Proverbs 21:8 - way Ecclesiastes 7:10 - wisely Jeremiah 8:6 - hearkened Jeremiah 10:14 - man Jeremiah 51:17 - Every Hosea 7:10 - nor Amos 5:4 - Seek Zephaniah 1:6 - and those Matthew 7:13 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 10:19
And the boundaries of the Chananites were from Sidon till one comes to Gerara and Gaza, till one comes to Sodom and Gomorrha, Adama and Seboim, as far as Dasa.
Genesis 13:10
And Lot having lifted up his eyes, observed all the country round about Jordan, that it was all watered, before God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, as the garden of the Lord, and as the land of Egypt, until thou come to Zogora.
Genesis 14:9
against Chodollogomor king of Elam, and Thargal king of nations, and Amarphal king of Sennaar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, the four kings against the five.
Genesis 14:10
Now the salt valley consists of slime-pits. And the king of Sodom fled and the king of Gomorrha, and they fell in there: and they that were left fled to the mountain country.
Genesis 14:20
and blessed be the most high God who delivered thine enemies into thy power. And Abram gave him the tithe of all.
Deuteronomy 29:23
brimstone and burning salt, (the whole land shall not be sown, neither shall any green thing spring, nor rise upon it, as Sodom and Gomorrha were overthrown, Adama and Seboim, which the Lord overthrew in his wrath and anger:)—
Deuteronomy 34:3
and the wilderness, and the country round about Jericho, the city of palm-trees, to Segor.
1 Samuel 13:18
and another company turning the way of Baethoron, and another company turning by the way of Gabae that turns aside to Gai of Sabim.
Isaiah 15:5
The heart of the region of Moab cries within her to Segor; for it is as a heifer of three years old: and on the ascent of Luith they shall go up to thee weeping by the way of Aroniim: she cries, Destruction, and trembling.
Hosea 11:8
How shall I deal with thee, Ephraim? how shall I protect thee, Israel? what shall I do with thee? I will make thee as Adama, and as Seboim; my heart is turned at once, my repentance is powerfully excited.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men,.... As he did when all flesh had corrupted its way, and before he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly, Genesis 6:12. This is said in direct opposition to the atheistic thoughts and reasonings of wicked men, in

Psalms 14:1. There is a God, and he takes notice of the children of men, and of what is done by them; though his throne is in the heavens, and his dwelling there, yet he looks down from thence, and takes cognizance of all human affairs. This must be understood consistent with the omniscience and omnipresence of God; it is an anthropopathy, or a speaking after the manner of men; and denotes the exact notice which God takes, and distinct observation he makes, and the perfect and accurate knowledge he has of men and their actions; see

Genesis 11:5;

to see if there were any that did understand: not things natural, civil, and moral, but things spiritual as the Apostle Paul interprets the words, Romans 3:11. For though man has not lost the natural faculty of his understanding, and may have an understanding of the things of nature, yet not of the things of God, until a supernatural light is put into him; not any spiritual experimental knowledge of God in Christ, nor of the way of salvation by Christ, nor of the work of the Spirit of God upon the heart, nor of the doctrines of the Gospel, nor any true sight and sense of his own state and condition;

[and] seek God; that is, "after God"; as the apostle in the same place explains it; after the knowledge of him and his ways, and communion with him; after the things of God, his interest and his glory: they do not seek after him in prayer, or by an attendance on his worship and ordinances; at least with their whole hearts, earnestly, diligently, constantly, and in the first place; nor do they seek after him in Christ, where he is only to be found; nor under the influence, and with the assistance of the blessed Spirit.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 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 good. He looked at all men; he examined all their pretensions to goodness, and he saw none who could be regarded as exempt from the charge of depravity. Nothing could more clearly prove the doctrine of universal depravity than to say that an Omniscient God made “an express examination” on this very point, that he looked over all the world, and that in the multitudes which passed under the notice of his eye not “one” could be found who could be pronounced righteous. If God could not find such an one, assuredly man cannot.

Upon the children of men - Upon mankind; upon the human race. They are called “children,” or “sons” (Hebrew), because they are all the descendants of the man that God created - of Adam. Indeed the original word here is “Adam” - אדם 'âdâm. And it may be questionable whether, since this became in fact a proper name, designating the first man, it would not have been proper to retain the idea in the translation - “the sons of Adam;” that is, all his descendants. The phrase occurs frequently to denote the human race, Deuteronomy 32:8; Psalms 11:4; Psalms 21:10; Psalms 31:19; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:4; et soepe.

To see if there were any that did understand - If there were one acting wisely - to wit, in seeking God. “Acting wisely” here stands in contrast with the folly referred to in the first verse. Religion is always represented in the Scriptures as true wisdom.

And seek God - The knowledge of him; his favor and friendship. Wisdom is shown by a “desire” to become acquainted with the being and perfections of God, as well as in the actual possession of that knowledge; and in no way can the true character of man be better determined than by the actual interest which is felt in becoming acquainted with the character of him who made and who governs the universe. It is one of the clearest proofs of human depravity that there is no prevailing desire among people thus to ascertain the character of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 14:2. The 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 defence.


 
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