Psalms 14:4

Jehovah Himself speaks. The first clause may be taken as in A.V., -Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?" Are they so ignorant that they cannot distinguish between right and wrong? Cp. Psalms 14:2 and Psalms 82:5. But a much better connexion with Psalms 14:5 is gained by rendering, Were not all the workers of iniquity made to know? (or, following the ancient versions in a change of the vocalisation, shall not … be made to know?) i.e. taught by sharp experience to know their error. Then Psalms 14:5 follows as the answer to the question. -Yes, indeed! there &c." For this pregnant sense of know, cp. Hosea 9:7; Judges 8:16 (taught, lit. made to know).

who eat up&c. Lit. eating my people they eat bread. The A.V. follows the ancient versions in understanding this to mean, -they devour my people as naturally as they take their daily food." But the words seem rather to mean, -they live by devouring my people." Cp. Micah 3:1-3; Isaiah 3:14 f. And this they do without regard to Jehovah.

But who are meant by my peopleand the workers of iniquity? Possibly the godly few who alone deserve the name of Jehovah's people (Micah 2:9; Micah 3:3; Micah 3:5; and often in the prophets), and the nobles who oppress them. But it is more natural to explain -my people" of the nation of Israel; and in this case -the workers of iniquity" must be foreign oppressors, or, if we assume a reference to past history as in Psalms 14:1, the Egyptians. In favour of this view it should be noted that Israel is constantly called -my people" in Exodus 3-10; and the last clause of the verse is illustrated by Exodus 5:2. Cp. also Jeremiah 2:3.