Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity (Isaiah 58:9)
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. (Isaiah 59:3-4)
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. (Psalm 12:2)
These passages make me think of flattering courtiers, people trying to get money and power from the king. They also make me think of the chattering classes; people with ready access to give their opinion through the media but whose opinion may not be very well considered. But in the context of Isaiah 58 I think this is referring to religious people talking about pointless things at church. I would have to be one of the most guilty of this. I do this so much it pains me to think about it. I have heard that the best way to overcome this is to think positive and appropriate things to make conversation about beforehand. I need to start doing that at least a little bit. Lord please help me.
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