“Our Lord! Grant us the good of this world and the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.”
Read the verses first and then come back for an understanding of what it means and what lessons can be taken away from them.
Disobedient Israelites V75-79
The Israelites were given favours that are previously mentioned and also would kill and disobey their messengers. Allah reveals V75 in a means to put an end to believers hopes that the peoples of the book would believe i.e. to not raise your hopes about them becoming believers. How can those whom knowingly distort the words of their own books (which they hold in high regards) to their own whims and desires, respond to you call? Remember the heart is only turned by Allah.
We continue with now the condition of the hypocrites. They pay lip service to the believers, then go behind their backs only to reject what they would say to the believers. Amongst themselves they would discuss "Will you disclose to the believers the knowledge Allah has revealed to you, so that they may use it against you before your Lord? Do you not understand?" The high level of blindness can be seen here. The knowledge Allah has revealed to them that they fear to share with the believers is that of which they believe is a prophecy of a prophet from the Arabs. They're actively confirming that they're following falsehood and whilst the believers are following the truth. They're scared that the believers will use this proof against them before the Lord almighty.
We go onto to learn "And there are among them unlettered people who have no knowledge of the book, except wishful thinking" This refers to those whom have no knowledge of the book, except recitation that they hear. All they have is speculations and blindly following the scholars amongst them. These scholars amongst them trade the religion for a "small price". The small price being the beginning of dunya till its destruction. By means of deviation these scholars confused them and took wealth unlawfully. Allah condems those who distort whilst teaching or explaining as well as, condemns those who merely recite whilst not pondering. Sound familiar?
May Allah aid us in understanding the Quran in the way in which it was meant to be understood and make us those whom do not merely recite without pondering, Ameen.