Psalm 94 7

Psalm 94:7 kjv

Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Psalm 94:7 nkjv

Yet they say, "The LORD does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand."

Psalm 94:7 niv

They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice."

Psalm 94:7 esv

and they say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive."

Psalm 94:7 nlt

"The LORD isn't looking," they say,
"and besides, the God of Israel doesn't care."

Psalm 94 verses

Psalm 94 7 Meaning

Psalm 94:7 states the erroneous and arrogant belief held by the wicked oppressors: they falsely claim that God, the Sovereign Lord of the covenant, is either unaware of or indifferent to their evil deeds. They conclude that the Almighty God of Israel lacks both sight to observe and understanding to comprehend their actions or the suffering of the righteous, thereby dismissing divine accountability and intervention.

Psalm 94 7 Context

Psalm 94 is a fervent prayer and a prophetic declaration of God's righteous judgment against the wicked oppressors of His people. The psalm opens with an appeal to God, described as the God of vengeance, to manifest His justice. Verses 3-6 vividly portray the insolence and brutality of the wicked who "crush Your people, O LORD, and afflict Your heritage." Verse 7 succinctly captures the theological underpinning of these oppressors' audacity: their false conviction that God is neither seeing nor perceiving their actions. This delusion provides them with a perceived impunity, empowering their continued injustice. The verses immediately following (Ps 94:8-11) directly and powerfully refute this wicked claim, reminding them of God's undeniable omniscience and omnipresence, thus setting the stage for the psalmist's renewed confidence in divine justice and the ultimate downfall of the unrighteous.

Psalm 94 7 Word analysis

• Yet they say (וַיֹּאמְרוּ - vayyo'meru): The Hebrew verb is a simple past tense, conveying a direct and ongoing statement. "They" refers to the wicked and arrogant oppressors described in the preceding verses, who are actively perpetrating injustice against God's people. This highlights their blasphemous defiance, speaking against God Himself.
• The Lord (יָהּ - Yah): This is a shortened, poetic, and emphatic form of the sacred covenant name of God, Yahweh (YHWH). Its usage underscores the supreme and self-existent nature of God. The wicked's denial is not merely against a generic deity but specifically against the mighty and covenant-keeping God of Israel, the very God to whom the psalmist appeals.
• does not see (לֹא יִרְאֶה - lo' yireh): Lo' means "not," and yireh means "he will see" or "he sees." The phrase means "He does not see." This asserts a fundamental lack of perception or awareness. The wicked imagine God as distant, indifferent, or even physically unable to observe their deeds, believing they operate with complete impunity. It speaks of a denial of God's omnipresent sight.
• the God of Jacob (אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב - Elohei Ya'akov): This is a foundational covenant title for God. Jacob represents the patriarch, Israel, and by extension, the entire nation, the people of God with whom He has established an eternal covenant. The title emphasizes God's personal, historical, and special relationship with His chosen people. The wicked are not just denying a generic deity's attributes but specifically the attributes of the God who powerfully intervenes on behalf of Israel.
• does not perceive (וְלֹא יָבִין - v'lo' yavin): V'lo' means "and not," and yavin means "he will understand" or "he perceives." This extends the previous denial beyond mere seeing to a lack of understanding, discernment, or intelligent awareness. It implies that God is thought to be clueless or incapable of comprehending the depths of their evil or the pain of His people. It challenges God's omniscience, intellect, and capacity for righteous judgment.
• "The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive": This parallelism uses synonymous phrases to intensify the wicked's blasphemous delusion. The first half focuses on God's lack of physical sight/observation ("does not see"), while the second half deepens it to intellectual understanding and insight ("does not perceive"). Together, these claims fundamentally deny God's omnipresence and omniscience, portraying Him as apathetic, powerless, and removed from human affairs, particularly from acts of injustice. This twofold denial reflects the wicked's profound spiritual blindness and moral depravity, convincing themselves that they are beyond divine reckoning.

Psalm 94 7 Bonus section

The wicked's assertion in Psalm 94:7 encapsulates a timeless spiritual error: the practical atheism that denies God's active involvement and moral governance over His creation. This goes beyond theoretical atheism; it's a functional denial that enables sinful behavior by removing perceived consequences from a divine hand. The psalmist's strong refutation in the following verses (e.g., Ps 94:9-10: "He who implanted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?") employs a reductio ad absurdum argument, drawing on common sense and divine design to expose the utter irrationality of such a belief. If God created perception in humanity, how much more must He Himself perceive? This highlights the internal inconsistency of the wicked's theology of indifference. This belief also fosters a culture of impunity among the oppressors, leading to further injustice because accountability is denied, a pattern observable throughout biblical history and contemporary society alike.

Psalm 94 7 Commentary

Psalm 94:7 profoundly exposes the central folly and hubris of the wicked: their mistaken belief that God is oblivious to their actions and unresponsive to their injustice. This verse highlights a common misconception throughout history among those who perpetrate evil: that God is either absent, unconcerned, or lacks the capacity to see and understand the depths of human sin. The use of "Yah" emphasizes God's sovereign authority and "God of Jacob" underscores His covenant faithfulness to His people, making the wicked's denial an ultimate challenge to His very nature and commitment. Their claim emboldens them in their cruelty, assuming impunity for their oppression. Yet, the very context of the psalm, especially the subsequent verses (Ps 94:8-11), utterly refutes this lie, asserting God's absolute omniscience and active justice. This verse stands as a sharp reminder that spiritual blindness and arrogance lead to disastrous self-deception concerning divine judgment.