Commentaire de citation sur Les Psaumes 14:1

on machalath The name of a musical instrument. Another explanation: concerning the malady (מחלתן) of Israel when the Temple will be destroyed. He already recited another psalm resembling this one (above 14): “The fool said in his heart, ‘there is no God, etc.’ “, One relates to the destruction of the First Temple and this one, to the Second Temple.

Prayer -- is opposite to the lust for unbridledness (hefker), wildness, and prikas ol (removal of the yoke of G-d's law) which is found among immoral people, as written "the vile person says 'there is no G-d'" (Tehilim 14:1). "Fasting" is opposite lust for food. "Charity-giving" is opposite the lust for amassing possessions. "Kindness" is the opposite of jealousy and love of harming other people (i.e. cruelty), as written "For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble" (Mishlei 4:16).

וענית ואמרת, "and you will say in your (spiritual) poverty," the Torah refers to the fact no matter how much a person tries to do good in this life it is not enough to please the Lord. Our sages in Eyruvin 17 said that when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob face G'd to be judged, neither one of them is able to hold his own seeing that it is not possible for man born of woman to meet the standards demanded of him by G'd. Job referred to this when he said (Job 4,17) "can mortals be aquitted by G'd, can man be cleared by his Maker?" The recital the Torah prescribes for the farmer bringing the first fruit is nothing but a list of the excuses cited by man for his failure to live up to G'd's expectations of him. First he refers to the adverse circumstances under which he laboured at Laban the swindler. This is a simile for the temptations of the evil urge who is a great swindler having tricked Eve into eating from the tree of knowledge. The Torah itself had described the tempter, the serpent, as very wily (Genesis 3,1). The words אבד אבי are a reference to Adam. Isaiah 43,27 quotes G'd as saying "your original father (Adam) has sinned, and your spokesmen (priests and prophets) trangressed against Me." The word אבד is a reference to the mortality this sin introduced to the human race, something which affected all subsequent generations who became infected with an evil pollutant. This is the mystical dimension of the foreskin which is part of the embryo from its very earliest gestation. Another meaning of the words אבד אבי "who denies my Father," is similar to Psalms 14,1: "the withered man has said in his heart 'there is no G'd.'"

בגוי נבל אכעיסם I WILL PROVOKE THEM TO ANGER WITH A DEBASED NATION — these are the “Minim”, the heretics. So indeed, it states, (Psalms 14:1) “The heretic (נבל) hath said in his heart “There is no God” (Sifrei Devarim 320:10; Yevamot 63b).

and forgive and give to each man according to his ways, etc. to the wicked according to his wickedness and to the righteous according to his righteousness. For if He does not repay the wicked according to his wickedness, he will speak insolently toward Heaven, and he will say, “There is no God.” Then [the thoughts of] his heart will be known, and there will be a profanation of the Name [of God]. Likewise shall You do to the righteous according to his righteousness, which You shall do for him when he prays to You.