Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself in God.’
For you said, ‘What advantage will it be to me? What profit will I have if I am cleansed from my sin?’
those who say, “With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are in our control. Who is our master?”
Surely I have kept my heart clean in vain, and washed my hands in innocence.
And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”
lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”
I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, “Seek Me in a waste place”; I, the Lord, speak righteousness; I declare things that are right.
Your habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me, says the Lord.
When they had pasture, they were satisfied. They were satisfied, and their heart was exalted; therefore they forgot Me.
You said, “It is vain to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of Hosts?
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.
Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.