The fallen human heart wants to think of sin only in terms of rule-breaking. There’s the church lady who is scandalized if a member is caught stealing, but doesn’t think anything of a long gossip session about the thief right there in the church foyer. Even describing God’s commandments as “rules” gets away from His personal nature. The greatest commandment is to love God the Lord your God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. In this passage Israel worships no golden calves, doesn’t covet or take anything, and doesn’t visibly
break any of God’s prohibitive commands. But they fail to pray.