Mercy and Acknowledgement

Hear the word of YHWH, you Israelites,
because YHWH has a charge to bring
against you who live in the land:
"There is no faithfulness, no love,
no acknowledgment of God in the land.

There is only cursing, lying and murder,
stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,
and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God,
I also will ignore your children.

The more the priests increased,
the more they sinned against me;
they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful.
They feed on the sins of my people
and relish their wickedness.

And it will be: Like people, like priests.
I will punish both of them for their ways
and repay them for their deeds.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

I long to redeem them
but they speak lies against me.

The days of punishment are coming,
the days of reckoning are at hand.
Let Israel know this.
Because your sins are so many
and your hostility so great,
the prophet is considered a fool,
the inspired man a maniac.


Hosea 4:1,2,6b-9, 5:4, 6:6, 7:13c, 9:7 NIV

[Yahweh, let us learn to humble ourselves and be grateful for the blessings you bestow and the gift of prophets and ministers.]