Season scallops lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large, preferably non-stick skillet, over medium-high.
Add 3 tablespoons butter and allow to melt.
Place seasoned scallops in the pan, in a single layer, without touching; do in batches if necessary, using another tablespoon of butter, if needed, for the second batch.
Cook without moving until bottoms are golden brown; 3 minutes.
Flip the scallops and add another tablespoon of butter to the pan.
Stir in garlic and thyme; cook until the garlic is fragrant; about 1 minute longer.
If you took any of the scallops out of the pan to cook in batches, put them back in now.
Pour lemon juice on top of all the scallops; sprinkle with the lemon zest and toss everything gently to combine.
Transfer scallops to serving plates and sprinkle red-pepper flakes on top; garnish with chopped soft herbs and lemon wedges; serve immediately.
