Bible Strands
Psalms 94:8
Take notice, O senseless among the people! O fools, when will you be wise?
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the arrogant members of the community who claim Yahweh ignores their actions, directly challenging their denial of divine oversight.
The words — The Hebrew terms בֹּעֲרִים (bo.'a.Rim) and כְסִילִים (khe.si.Lim) designate the "stupid ones" and "fools" who are commanded to understand (בִּ֭ינוּ, Bi.nu) and gain insight (תַּשְׂכִּילוּ, tas.Ki.lu).
The thread — This theme of human folly contrasting with divine perception appears in Psalms 92:6 and Psalms 49:10, while Titus 3:3 notes the former foolish state of believers before transformation.
Why it lands — The text demands that those denying God's attention recognize their own lack of understanding and confront the reality of their impending accountability.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
Cross-references
- Psalms 92:6 A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand,
- Titus 3:3 For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- Psalms 49:10 For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
- Deuteronomy 32:29 If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
- Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
- Isaiah 27:11 When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
- Romans 3:11 There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
- Psalms 73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
- Proverbs 8:5 O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.
- Jeremiah 8:6 I have listened and heard; they do not speak what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has pursued his own course like a horse charging into battle.