The fool hath said in his heart,
Psalm 14:1There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Words: Benjamin H. Kennedy, Hymnologia Christiana (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green, 1863), number 4.
Music: Aberdeen possibly by Andrew Tait, in James Chalmers’ untitled collection, 1749. Melody from Rudiments of Music, by Robert Bremner, 1756 (🔊 pdf nwc).
There is no God,
so saith the fool
In his vain heart alone.
Ah, reckless seed and spurning rule!
None doeth good, not one.
The Lord looked down from Heaven, and saw
How man on earth abode;
And none were there who loved His law,
None sought the living God.
With thoughts corrupt, and conscience seared,
In hateful ways they ran;
In all the world no good appeared,
Nor any righteous man.
How blinded are their hearts,
He said,
Who live in sin and shame!
My people they devour as bread;
They call not on My name.
In vain ye strive, O race abhorred,
In vain ye fret and rage;
For God is with His saints, the Lord
Amidst His heritage.
O when will our redemption spring
From Zion’s holy height?
O when to Salem will her king
Return with healing light?
When God shall hear His people’s voice,
And break their galling chain,
The face of Jacob will rejoice,
And Israel smile again.