John Gill Commentary Psalms 94:11

"Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of man, That they are vanity." — Psalms 94:11 (ASV)

The Lord knows the thoughts of man
He not only hears their words, and sees their actions; but he knows their thoughts, the secret thoughts of their hearts, though he is afar off from them, and, they from him; he is the searcher of the hearts and trier of the reins of the children of men; see (Psalms 139:2Psalms 139:23Psalms 139:24) (Jeremiah 17:9Jeremiah 17:10) , and so is Christ, who is the omniscient God, and is the Jehovah all along spoken to and of in this psalm; he knows the thoughts of men, and is a critical discerner of them, (Matthew 9:3Matthew 9:4) (Hebrews 4:12)

that they are vanity ;
either that their thoughts are vanity; the object of them is vanity, the riches and honours of this world, which are all vanity and vexation of spirit; and sinful lusts and pleasures, which are vain and useless, yea, pernicious and hurtful: and so they are in their issue and event; they come to nothing, they are without effect; the Lord disappoints men's devices, and frustrates their designs; they think of this and the other, form schemes, but cannot execute them:

or else the sense is, that they themselves are vanity, as man in his best estate is; even every man, whether of high or low degree; see (Psalms 39:5Psalms 39:6) (62:9) . The Syriac version is, "for they are a vapour"; with which compare (James 4:14) . Thales, an Heathen philosopher ^F5 , being asked whether men's deeds could be hid from God, answered, no, nor their thoughts.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F5: Apud Laert. Vit. ejus, Valer. Maxim. l. 7. c. 2. extern. 8.