For he knoweth vain men,.... Or, "men of vanity" p, as all men are; men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree a lie, and they are both lighter than vanity, Psalms 62:9; and the Lord knows them, and knows them to be so; he knows all men, and all that is in them; he knows the vanity of their minds, and the vain thoughts that are in them; all their vain and idle words, and their vain lives and conversations; and therefore it is no wonder he does the above things at his pleasure:
he seeth wickedness also; the wickedness of their hearts and lives, their secret and open wickedness, their wicked thoughts, words, and actions; or, "men of wickedness"; even wicked men; they are all seen by him; nothing is or can be hid from him; he is God omniscient, the searcher of the hearts and trier of the reins of the children of men:
will he not then consider [it]? so as to punish or correct for it? he will: or, "he does not consider" q; he seems as if he did not; as if he took no notice of wicked men, and of their wickedness, because he does not immediately punish or correct for it; or, he has no need to take any time to consider thereof, he sees and knows at once what it is, and what men are: Gersom reads this clause in connection with the former; "he sees [the men] of wickedness", and him who does "not consider" the ways of the Lord; or, the man does not consider that God sees him; so Ben Melech.
p מתי שוא "homines vanitatis", Vatablus, Drusius, Bolducius, Mercerus, Schmidt, Michaelis. q ולא יתבונך "et non cousiderat", Cocceius; "et non advertit", Schmidt.