Vanity: The Wicked: Speak
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In the biblical context, "vanity" often refers to the futility, emptiness, or worthlessness of human endeavors apart from God. It is a recurring theme in Scripture, particularly in the wisdom literature, where it underscores the transient and often deceptive nature of worldly pursuits and human pride. The wicked, in their speech, frequently embody this concept of vanity, as their words are marked by deceit, arrogance, and a lack of true substance.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 12:2 : "They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart." This verse highlights the vanity in the speech of the wicked, characterized by deceit and insincerity. Their words are empty, lacking the truth and integrity that should define righteous communication.

2. Psalm 41:6 : "When someone comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad." Here, the vanity of the wicked is evident in their false and malicious speech. Their words are not only empty but also harmful, as they spread slander and discord.

3. Proverbs 10:18 : "The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool." This proverb associates vanity with foolishness, as the wicked use their speech to conceal true intentions and spread falsehoods. Their words are devoid of wisdom and truth, reflecting the emptiness of their hearts.

4. Ecclesiastes 5:7 : "For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity. Therefore, fear God." In this passage, the Preacher warns against the proliferation of empty words, which are often a hallmark of the wicked. The emphasis is on the futility of speech that is not grounded in the fear of God, highlighting the vanity inherent in such communication.

5. Jeremiah 9:8 : "Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets an ambush." The prophet Jeremiah describes the vanity of the wicked's speech as deceitful and treacherous. Their words are like weapons, used to manipulate and harm rather than to edify and build up.

Theological Implications:

The speech of the wicked, as depicted in these passages, serves as a stark reminder of the moral and spiritual decay that accompanies a life apart from God. Their words, filled with vanity, reflect a heart that is distant from divine truth and wisdom. In contrast, Scripture calls believers to speak with integrity, truth, and love, embodying the character of Christ in their communication.

The vanity of the wicked's speech is not merely a matter of empty words but is indicative of a deeper spiritual void. It serves as a cautionary tale for the faithful, urging them to guard their hearts and tongues, ensuring that their words align with the truth and righteousness of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 12:2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 41:6
And if he come to see me, he speaks vanity: his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes abroad, he tells it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of Man's Turning to God; and what Helps and what Lets his Turning.
... themselves honestly, they irk not either to speak or do or ... eager to love God) and
slow to all vanity. The wicked truly are alway greedy after vile delectations ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter i of mans turning.htm

The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph
... in the city where they had so done: this also is vanity.". ... for it were a shame for
us to speak of the ... look fair and goodly, yet "I have seen the wicked come and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the wicked mans life funeral.htm

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... He that is accustomed to speak truth in private, will ... and painted, he dissembles
and speaks vanity, and flatters ... xii.3. But he lays up his wicked purposes close ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

Psalm CXLIV.
... O men that speak vanity! They have lost the true right hand, wicked and
perverse, they have put on the benefits of God inversely. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxliv.htm

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Consolation in Suffering, and Patience ...
... insignificant to be contrasted." So Paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely
small"a drop, a tiny spark, so to speak; but of ... To the wicked"to vanity. ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fourth sunday after trinity consolation.htm

That God is to be Loved and Worshipped in Diseases: and Also of ...
... and need and poverty thou never grumble, nor speak fondly nor ... therefore which is
from lightness and vanity of mind ... if we be glad and merry, the wicked call us ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter ix that god is.htm

Motives from the Necessities of the Work
... our common ignorance were thus banished, and our vanity and idleness ... threatening
make you tremble " If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the reformed pastor/article 3.htm

The Spirit and the Flesh
... Why do I speak of all this? ... is the hell in which the soul of every wicked man is ... sense
and every appetite pampered,"his pride and his vanity flattered; who ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon vi the spirit and.htm

The Silence of Faith.
... was one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the ... Vanity of vanity; all was
vanity. ... I do not speak now of atheism, dogmatic, self-satisfied, insolent ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xxv the silence of.htm

That we Should Seek the Verdict of Our Conscience in Every ...
... concern for boasting and vanity, lest, as the prophet says, The wicked is praised
in his own heart's desires, (Psalm 10..4) and Isaiah, They who speak good of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/albert/on cleaving to god/chapter 14 that we should.htm

Resources
What does the Bible say about vanity? | GotQuestions.org

When does hygiene cross the line and become vanity? | GotQuestions.org

Summary of the Book of Ecclesiastes - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Vanity: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Vanity

Vanity: A Consequence of the Fall

Vanity: All Earthly Things Are

Vanity: All should Know and Acknowledge

Vanity: Alms Giving Without Charity Is

Vanity: Almsgiving Without Love Is

Vanity: Avoid

Vanity: Avoid Those Given To

Vanity: Childhood and Youth Are

Vanity: Every Man Has

Vanity: Every Man Is

Vanity: Every State of Man Is

Vanity: Evil People: Allure Others Through the Words of

Vanity: Evil People: Devise

Vanity: Evil People: Especially Characterized By

Vanity: Evil People: Imagine

Vanity: Evil People: Inherit

Vanity: Evil People: Judicially Given up To

Vanity: Evil People: Live By

Vanity: Evil People: Live In

Vanity: Evil People: Love

Vanity: Evil People: Reap

Vanity: Evil People: Regard God's Service As

Vanity: Evil People: Speak

Vanity: Evil People: Though Full of, Affect to be Wise

Vanity: Faith Without Works Is

Vanity: False Teaching is But

Vanity: Following Those Given To, Leads to Poverty

Vanity: Foolish Questions Are

Vanity: Fools Follow Those Given To

Vanity: Heaping up Riches Is

Vanity: Idolatry Is

Vanity: Love of Riches Is

Vanity: Lying Words Are

Vanity: Man at his Best Estate Is

Vanity: Man is Like To

Vanity: Man is Similar To

Vanity: Man, at his Best Estate, Is

Vanity: Man's own Righteousness Is

Vanity: Mere External Religion Is

Vanity: Pray to be Kept From

Vanity: Riches Gotten by Falsehood Are

Vanity: Saints Hate the Thoughts of

Vanity: Saints: Avoid

Vanity: Saints: Avoid Those Given To

Vanity: Saints: Hate the Thoughts of

Vanity: Saints: Pray to be Kept From

Vanity: The Beauty of Man Is

Vanity: The Conduct of the Ungodly Is

Vanity: The Days of Man Are

Vanity: The Help of Man In

Vanity: The Help of Man Is

Vanity: The Religion of Hypocrites Is

Vanity: The Thoughts of Man Are

Vanity: The Wicked: Allure Others by Words of

Vanity: The Wicked: Count God's Service As

Vanity: The Wicked: Devise

Vanity: The Wicked: Especially Characterised By

Vanity: The Wicked: Imagine

Vanity: The Wicked: Inherit

Vanity: The Wicked: Judicially Given up To

Vanity: The Wicked: Love

Vanity: The Wicked: Reap

Vanity: The Wicked: Speak

Vanity: The Wicked: Though Full of, Affect to be Wise

Vanity: The Wicked: Walk After

Vanity: The Wicked: Walk In

Vanity: The Worship of the Wicked Is

Vanity: They Who Trust In, Rewarded With

Vanity: Treasures of Wickedness Are

Vanity: Unblessed Riches Are

Vanity: Wealth Gotten By, Diminishes

Vanity: Worldly Anxiety

Vanity: Worldly Enjoyment Is

Vanity: Worldly Labor Is

Vanity: Worldly Labour Is

Vanity: Worldly Pleasure Is

Vanity: Worldly Possessions Are

Vanity: Worldly Wisdom Is

Vanity: Worldy Anxiety Is

Related Terms

Vanities (14 Occurrences)

Chasing (12 Occurrences)

Vexation (36 Occurrences)

Koheleth (7 Occurrences)

Futility (19 Occurrences)

Labored (35 Occurrences)

Striving (33 Occurrences)

Ecclesiastes (1 Occurrence)

Vainglory (2 Occurrences)

Divinations (10 Occurrences)

Pursuit (35 Occurrences)

Laboured (34 Occurrences)

Labouring (18 Occurrences)

Delusion (12 Occurrences)

Cord (47 Occurrences)

Aven (10 Occurrences)

Happens (32 Occurrences)

Altogether (56 Occurrences)

Happeneth (7 Occurrences)

Travail (54 Occurrences)

Nought (104 Occurrences)

Advantage (44 Occurrences)

Worthless (103 Occurrences)

Labour (119 Occurrences)

Recompense (79 Occurrences)

Occupation (9 Occurrences)

Laborest (1 Occurrence)

Labourest (1 Occurrence)

Lovest (13 Occurrences)

Wickedness (232 Occurrences)

Fleeting (9 Occurrences)

Trusting (45 Occurrences)

Takest (17 Occurrences)

Recompence (28 Occurrences)

Errors (15 Occurrences)

Emptiness (17 Occurrences)

Exhaust (2 Occurrences)

Deception (24 Occurrences)

Mockery (12 Occurrences)

Falsehood (107 Occurrences)

Inspection (23 Occurrences)

Fuel (13 Occurrences)

Grievous (73 Occurrences)

Joyfully (37 Occurrences)

Visitation (17 Occurrences)

Vain (141 Occurrences)

Enjoy (68 Occurrences)

Objects (30 Occurrences)

Deceived (55 Occurrences)

Preacher (27 Occurrences)

Gathereth (65 Occurrences)

Visions (43 Occurrences)

Gathering (71 Occurrences)

Considered (80 Occurrences)

Sad (73 Occurrences)

Toil (66 Occurrences)

Satisfied (110 Occurrences)

Fool (95 Occurrences)

Weary (77 Occurrences)

Highborn (1 Occurrence)

Quicken (16 Occurrences)

Vaunt (5 Occurrences)

Vanish (21 Occurrences)

Vainglorious (1 Occurrence)

Vanquish (1 Occurrence)

Nothing (769 Occurrences)

Untempered (5 Occurrences)

Justly (22 Occurrences)

Lothe (5 Occurrences)

Laboring (8 Occurrences)

Laughter (14 Occurrences)

Leveled (4 Occurrences)

Lacks (27 Occurrences)

Levity (2 Occurrences)

Lasciviousnesses (3 Occurrences)

Lacketh (17 Occurrences)

Life-time (12 Occurrences)

Vanity: The Wicked: Reap
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