Then his people believed his promises and sang praises to him.

But they quickly forgot what he had done and acted without waiting for his advice.

"When the LORD heard this, he said to me, 'I have heard what these people said, and they are right.

If only they would always feel this way! If only they would always honor me and obey all my commands, so that everything would go well with them and their descendants forever.

The Lord said, "These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized.

So my people crowd in to hear what you have to say, but they don't do what you tell them to do. Loving words are on their lips, but they continue their greedy ways.

The LORD says, "The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy God.

Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey.