We are excited to be starting a new series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 14 Listen to Psalm 14 Within Psalm 14 the word fool is better translated as ‘scoundrel’. The whole psalm sets itself up as a place of moral teaching. It is a ‘what not to do’ guide for the reader using ‘the scoundrel’ as it’s antagonist. The psalmist focuses on the consequences for ‘the scoundrel’ of their choice to not acknowledge God- leading to the conclusion that they will be ‘overwhelmed with dread’. ‘Overwhelmed with dread’ sounds like an accurate depiction of the experience of many at the moment! I am aware it is so easy in life as a Christian to fall into a kind of functional atheism- where you conceptually believe in God, but your thoughts and actions are not lived in the light of that reality. I have noticed that when ‘dread’ creeps into my own life, it is often because I have allowed myself to slip back into that place of ‘functional atheism’ neglecting to put God in his proper place. There is an encouragement however within verse 7- God will restore and times of joy and rejoicing will return. In keeping our eyes on God we can avoid the traps of ‘the scoundrel’ and see the bigger picture. God would you help us keep our eyes always on you. Amen