Insincere worship (Isa 29:13-29:14)

“Yahweh said.

‘These people draw near

With their mouths.

They honor me

With their lips.

However their hearts

Are far from me.

Their worship of me is

A human commandment

Learned by rote.

So I will again do

Marvelous things

With this people,

I will again do

Shocking things.

I will again do

Amazing things.

The wisdom of their wise

Shall perish.

The discernment of their discerning

Shall be hidden’”

This oracle of Yahweh, via Isaiah, centers on insincere worship. They adore the Lord with their mouths and lips, but their hearts are far away. They only praise the Lord because of human demands, as they recite rote prayers. However, Yahweh, the Lord, was going to do marvelous, amazing, and shocking things for his people. The wisdom of the wise would perish, while the discernment of the discerning was hidden.

Sing to Yahweh (Ps 101:1-101:2)

A psalm of David

“I will sing of loyalty to you.

I will sing of justice to you.

Yahweh!

I will sing.

I will study the way that is blameless.

When shall I attain it?”

Psalm 101 is a psalm of David. David sings of loyalty and justice to Yahweh. He wants to be blameless, but he knows that he has not attained it yet. Perhaps this was a psalm for a king to recite before his coronation.

God speaks to the wicked (Ps 50:16-50:18)

“But to the wicked,

God says.

‘What right have you

To recite my statutes?

What right have you

To take my covenant on your lips?

You hate discipline!

You cast my words behind you!

You make friends with a thief,

When you see one.

You keep company

With adulterers.’”

This is one of the few times where God speaks directly to the wicked. It is usually about them. He asked them what right they had to recite his statutes. What right did they have to put the covenant on their lips? The wicked hated discipline. They put God’s word behind them. They made friends with thieves and adulterers. This is a strong direct description and rebuke of the wicked.