The Meaning of Psalms 14:4 Explained

Psalms 14:4

KJV: Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

YLT: Have all working iniquity not known? Those consuming my people have eaten bread, Jehovah they have not called.

Darby: Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, eating up my people as they eat bread? They call not upon Jehovah.

ASV: Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And call not upon Jehovah?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Have all the workers  of iniquity  no knowledge?  who eat up  my people  [as] they eat  bread,  and call  not upon the LORD. 

What does Psalms 14:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

David marveled at the ignorance of the wicked who disregard God and consequently have no regard for His people.

Context Summary

Psalm 14:1-7 - The Bounty Of God And The Folly Of Men
The first of these psalms evidently dates from the Sauline persecutions, 1 Samuel 19:1. Four times the persecuted soul cries, How long! The psalm begins in deepest dejection, but clears as it proceeds. Prayer often proves to be the ladder from the deepest dungeon to the more radiant day. We find here depression, Psalms 13:1-2; supplication, Psalms 13:3-4; assurance, Psalms 13:5-6. Do not carry your anxieties in your heart. Remember that Christ is by your side, and leading you through all to the Kingdom. Faith begins praise for victory before the fight has reached its worst.
The creed, character, and doom of the atheist are set forth in the next psalm, and the psalm is so important as to demand repetition. See Psalms 53:1-6. The root of atheism is in the heart, Romans 1:21. Its effect on character, speech, and action is disastrous, and it ends in great fear, Psalms 14:5. The best answer to atheism is the light and liberty of the children of God, Psalms 14:7; Hebrews 9:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 14

1  David describes a natural man
4  He convinces the wicked by the light of their conscience
7  He glories in the salvation of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 14:4 mean?

Have no knowledge all the workers of iniquity who eat up my people [as] they eat bread on Yahweh not and do call
הֲלֹ֥א ؟ יָדְעוּ֮ כָּל־ פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ

הֲלֹ֥א  Have  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
؟ יָדְעוּ֮  knowledge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י  the  workers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: פָּעַל  
Sense: to do, make.
אָ֥וֶן  of  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
אֹכְלֵ֣י  who  eat  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
עַ֭מִּי  my  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אָ֣כְלוּ  [as]  they  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לֶ֑חֶם  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  on  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
קָרָֽאוּ  and  do  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.