And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Parallel translations
- WEB They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
- BSB The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
- ESV And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
- NKJV And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
- NASB They say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?”
- NLT “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wicked say, 'How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?'
Overview
Emboldened by prosperity, they deny that God sees or knows their deeds. This practical atheism is the heart of their wickedness. Yet Scripture insists that nothing is hidden from God, who knows all and will judge righteously, exposing the folly of their boast (Psalm 94:7-11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Hos 7:2And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
- Zeph 1:12And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
- Ps 73:9They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
- Ps 94:7Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
- Ezek 8:12Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
- Job 22:13–14And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
- Ps 10:11He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
- Ps 44:21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
- Ps 139:1–6O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 73:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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