Psalm 14 is a community lament, in which the people of God mourn the fact that humans in general do not seek after God, and as a result, these godless people treat the people of God cruelly.  Psalm 14 is identical to Psalm 53.  Likely one was an alternate version before the Psalms were collected into this book, often called the Psalter.

Godless people, here the gentiles, devour God’s people.  The godless are described as the fool, as the one who is corrupt, and as one who does abominable deeds.  The fool is one who has stubbornly rejected wisdom.  These evildoers assume that there is no God, but even if He exits, such a person assumes that God takes no interest in human affairs, and God will not answer the prayers of his people.  Paul cites this Psalm in Romans 3:9 to show that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

But the Lord does exist, and He is the refuge and safe place for the faithful.  The people of God are in a covenant relationship with God, and therefore they must remember that God is their refuge and that God will protect them and will defeat the evildoers.  We as saved people are in the New Covenant relationship with God, so we too can pray this prayer.

In view of the threats from evildoers and the assurance as covenant people that God will deliver them, the community of faithful now prays for God’s rescue and concludes with firm hope, when, not if, God will deliver them.