They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The original Hebrew carries a double punch: "gone aside" implies straying from a path, while "become filthy" suggests a deep, internal corruption, like something souring or rotting. This isn't just a few bad choices, but a fundamental departure from goodness that taints everything.
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist, under divine inspiration, presents God surveying humanity from heaven. This cosmic inspection reveals a shocking truth: not a single person can be found who truly understands and seeks God. Instead, every person has universally turned away, becoming morally rotten and incapable of doing any genuine good.
Imagine God looking down from heaven, not with a casual glance, but with a purpose. What was He searching for? And what did He find?
The Divine Gaze
The psalm begins with God looking down from heaven (Psalm 14:2). This isn't a passive observation; it's an active investigation. God Himself is presented as the one assessing humanity.
This perspective challenges us to consider that our actions are not hidden from God's sight, and His evaluation is absolute.
The words used to describe humanity's state are strong – 'gone aside' and 'corrupt.' What do these powerful terms really convey about our spiritual condition?
More Than Just Mistakes
David uses vivid language to paint a picture of universal human failure.
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These descriptions aren't about minor flaws; they represent a fundamental, widespread corruption that leaves no one exempt from the need for divine intervention.
The psalm concludes with an absolute statement: 'none who does good, not even one.' How can we reconcile this with the good deeds we sometimes see or perform?
The Unflinching Standard
The final declaration of Psalm 14:3 is one of the most confronting in Scripture: 'there is none who does good, not even one.'
This verse forces us to confront our own inability to meet God's righteous standard on our own.
The Apostle Paul directly quotes this verse in Romans to prove the universal depravity of humanity, emphasizing that not a single person is righteous on their own.
Jeremiah 17:9This verse echoes the sentiment of Psalms 14:3 by describing the human heart as deceitful and desperately wicked, revealing an internal corruption that leads to outward sin.
Genesis 6:5Before the flood, God observed that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, aligning with the total corruption described in Psalms 14.
Ecclesiastes 7:20The Preacher rightly notes that 'no human being is righteous on earth who continually does good and never sins,' reinforcing the absolute nature of human sinfulness found in Psalms 14:3.
calvinPsalms 14:2-3: "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God."
Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see whether there were any that did understand, and seek after God. 3. Every one of them has gone aside, they have altogether become putrid, [or rotten;] there is none that doeth good, not even one,
Jehovah looked down from heaven. God himself is here introduced as speaking on the subject of hu…
gillPsalms 14:3: "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
They are all gone aside,.... As bankrupts, having run out their whole stock, and into debt, and have nothing to pay, nor make composition with, and are obliged to abscond, as Adam, Genesis 3:8 . The words in Psalm 53:3 are, "everyone of them is gone back"; from God; have revolted from him, and turned their backs upon him, and have gone back from his commandment, despised his…
The original Hebrew carries a double punch: "gone aside" implies straying from a path, while "become filthy" suggests a deep, internal corruption, like something souring or rotting. This isn't just a few bad choices, but a fundamental departure from goodness that taints everything.
The Psalmist, under divine inspiration, presents God surveying humanity from heaven. This cosmic inspection reveals a shocking truth: not a single person can be found who truly understands and seeks God. Instead, every person has universally turned away, becoming morally rotten and incapable of doing any genuine good.
The Psalmist, under divine inspiration, presents God surveying humanity from heaven. This cosmic inspection reveals a shocking truth: not a single person can be found who truly understands and seeks God. Instead, every person has universally turned away, becoming morally rotten and incapable of doing any genuine good.
"They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." — The original Hebrew carries a double punch: "gone aside" implies straying from a path, while "become filthy" suggests a deep, internal corruption, like something souring or rotting. This isn't just a…
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Last reviewed October 2026