Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 14:4

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

Have they lost their Wits? have they neither Religion nor common Discretion, either of which would teach them not to make themselves so hareful to the all-seeing and almighty God, and to all Men? The words may be rendered thus, Do not all the workers of Iniquity know it? So it is only an Ellipsis of the Pronoun, which is frequent, as I have shewed before. Are they not Conscious to themselves of the Truth of what I say? I dare appeal to their own Consciences. But this I propound with Submission.

Or, they eat up, (i. e.) devour and destroy, as this word signifies, Deut. 7. 16. Prov. 30. 14. Ier. 50. 17. Nah. 3. 15.

(i. e.) The poor and godly Israelites, of whom he principally speaks: whom he calleth my people. Either 1. God's people, as they were in many respects: Or rather, 2. David's people: For David speaks both these words, and all the rest of this Psalm in his own Name and Person. And David might well call them his People, either because they were his Friends and Favourers: Or because he being anointed their King, they were consequently his People: Or because he was now actually their King, and so they were actually his People: For some conceive that this Psalm was made in the time, and upon the occasion of Absalom's Rebellion.

(i. e.) With as little regret or remorse, and with as much greediness, and delight, and Constancy too, as they use to eat their Meat. The Particle as is here understood, as it is Psal. 125. 2. Prov. 26. 9. and in many other places.

They are guilty not only of gross Injustice, and Oppression towards men, but also of horrid Impiety and Contempt of God, whose Providence they deny, and whose Worship they wholly neglect and despise.

Marginal references: Heb the eaters up of my People, eat Bread.; M[illegible: 1+ letters]. 3. 3.