Micah 7

The Prophet Acknowledges

1 Woe is me! For I am Like the fruit pickers, like the ¹grape gatherers. There is not a cluster of grapes to eat, Or a ²first-ripe fig which I crave.

2 The godly person has ³perished from the land, And there is no upright person among men. All of them lie in wait for ⁴bloodshed; Each of them hunts the other with a ⁵net.

3 Concerning evil, both hands do it ⁶well. The prince asks, also the judge, for a ⁷bribe, And a great man speaks the desire of his soul; So they weave it together.

4 The best of them is like a ⁸briar, The most upright like a ⁹thorn hedge. The day when you post your watchmen, Your ¹⁰punishment will come. Then their ¹¹confusion will occur.

5 Do not ¹²trust in a neighbor; Do not have confidence in a friend. From her who lies in your bosom Guard your lips.

6 For ¹³son treats father contemptuously, Daughter rises up against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ¹⁴A man's enemies are the men of his own household.

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light

7 But as for me, I will ¹⁵watch expectantly for the LORD; I will ¹⁶wait for the God of my salvation. My ¹⁷God will hear me.

8 ¹⁸Do not rejoice over me, O ¹⁹my enemy. Though I fall I will ²⁰rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a ²¹light for me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD Because I have sinned against Him, Until * He ²²pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the ²³light, And I will see His ²⁴righteousness.

10 Then my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who ²⁵said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will look on her; At that time she will be ²⁶trampled down Like mire of the streets.

11 It will be a day for ²⁷building your walls. On that day will your boundary be extended.

12 It will be a day when they will ²⁸come to you From Assyria and the cities of Egypt, From Egypt even to the Euphrates, Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.

13 And the earth will become ²⁹desolate because of her inhabitants, On account of the ³⁰fruit of their deeds.

14 ³¹Shepherd Your people with Your ³²scepter, The flock of Your possession Which dwells by itself in the woodland, In the midst of a fruitful field. Let them feed in ³³Bashan and Gilead ³⁴As in the days of old.

15 "As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show ³⁵you miracles."

16 Nations ³⁶will see and be ashamed Of all their might. They will ³⁷put their hand on their mouth, Their ears will be deaf.

17 They will ³⁸lick the dust like a serpent, Like ³⁹reptiles of the earth. They will come ⁴⁰trembling out of their fortresses; To the LORD our God they will come in ⁴¹dread And they will be afraid before You.

18 Who is a God like You, who ⁴²pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the ⁴³remnant of His possession? He does not ⁴⁴retain His anger forever, Because He ⁴⁵delights in unchanging love.

19 He will again have compassion on us; ⁴⁶He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will ⁴⁷cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.

20 You will give ⁴⁸truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which You ⁴⁹swore to our forefathers From the days of old.

Micah 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The general prevalence of wickedness. (1-7) Reliance on God, and triumph over enemies. (8-13) Promises and encouragements for Israel. (14-20)

Verses 1-7 The prophet bemoans himself that he lived among a people ripening apace for ruin, in which many good persons would suffer. Men had no comfort, no satisfaction in their own families or in their nearest relations. Contempt and violation of domestic duties are a sad symptom of universal corruption. Those are never likely to come to good who are undutiful to their parents. The prophet saw no safety or comfort but in looking to the Lord, and waiting on God his salvation. When under trials, we should look continually to our Divine Redeemer, that we may have strength and grace to trust in him, and to be examples to those around us.

Verses 8-13 Those truly penitent for sin, will see great reason to be patient under affliction. When we complain to the Lord of the badness of the times, we ought to complain against ourselves for the badness of our hearts. We must depend upon God to work deliverance for us in due time. We must not only look to him, but look for him. In our greatest distresses, we shall see no reason to despair of salvation, if by faith we look to the Lord as the God of our salvation. Though enemies triumph and insult, they shall be silenced and put to shame. Though Zion's walls may long be in ruins, there will come a day when they shall be repaired. Israel shall come from all the remote parts, not turning back for discouragements. Though our enemies may seem to prevail against us, and to rejoice over us, we should not despond. Though cast down, we are not destroyed; we may join hope in God's mercy, with submission to his correction. No hinderances can prevent the favours the Lord intends for his church.

Verses 14-20 When God is about to deliver his people, he stirs up their friends to pray for them. Apply spiritually the prophet's prayer to Christ, to take care of his church, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to go before them, while they are here in this world as in a wood, in this world but not of it. God promises in answer to this prayer, he will do that for them which shall be repeating the miracles of former ages. As their sin brought them into bondage, so God's pardoning their sin brought them out. All who find pardoning mercy, cannot but wonder at that mercy; we have reason to stand amazed, if we know what it is. When the Lord takes away the guilt of sin, that it may not condemn us, he will break the power of sin, that it may not have dominion over us. If left to ourselves, our sins will be too hard for us; but God's grace shall be sufficient to subdue them, so that they shall not rule us, and then they shall not ruin us. When God forgives sin, he takes care that it never shall be remembered any more against the sinner. He casts their sins into the sea; not near the shore-side, where they may appear again, but into the depth of the sea, never to rise again. All their sins shall be cast there, for when God forgives sin, he forgives all. He will perfect that which concerns us, and with this good work will do all for us which our case requires, and which he has promised. These engagements relate to Christ, and the success of the gospel to the end of time, the future restoration of Israel, and the final prevailing of true religion in all lands. The Lord will perform his truth and mercy, not one jot or tittle of it shall fall to the ground: faithful is He that has promised, who also will do it. Let us remember that the Lord has given the security of his covenant, for strong consolation to all who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them in Christ Jesus.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 24:13
• 2. Isaiah 28:4; Hosea 9:10
• 3. Isaiah 57:1
• 4. Isaiah 59:7; Micah 3:10
• 5. Jeremiah 5:26; Hosea 5:1
• 6. Proverbs 4:16, 17
• 7. Amos 5:12; Micah 3:11
• 8. Ezekiel 2:6; Ezekiel 28:24
• 9. Nahum 1:10
• 10. Isaiah 10:3; Hosea 9:7
• 11. Isaiah 22:5
• 12. Jeremiah 9:4
• 13. Matthew 10:21, 35; Luke 12:53
• 14. Matthew 10:36
• 15. Habakkuk 2:1
• 16. Psalms 130:5; Isaiah 25:9
• 17. Psalms 4:3
• 18. Proverbs 24:17; Obadiah 12
• 19. Micah 7:10
• 20. Amos 9:11
• 21. Isaiah 9:2
• 22. Jeremiah 50:34
• 23. Psalms 37:6; Isaiah 42:7, 16
• 24. Isaiah 46:13; Isaiah 56:1
• 25. Joel 2:17
• 26. Isaiah 51:23; Zechariah 10:5
• 27. Isaiah 54:11; Amos 9:11
• 28. Isaiah 19:23-25; Isaiah 60:4, 9
• 29. Jeremiah 25:11; Micah 6:13
• 30. Isaiah 3:10, 11; Micah 3:4
• 31. Psalms 95:7; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 49:10; Micah 5:4
• 32. Leviticus 27:32; Psalms 23:4
• 33. Jeremiah 50:19
• 34. Amos 9:11
• 35. Exodus 3:20; Exodus 34:10; Psalms 78:12
• 36. Isaiah 26:11
• 37. Micah 3:7
• 38. Psalms 72:9; Isaiah 49:23
• 39. Deuteronomy 32:24
• 40. Psalms 18:45
• 41. Isaiah 25:3; Isaiah 59:19
• 42. Exodus 34:7, 9; Isaiah 43:25
• 43. Micah 2:12; Micah 4:7; Micah 5:7, 8
• 44. Ps 103:8, 9, 13
• 45. Jeremiah 32:41
• 46. Jeremiah 50:20
• 47. Isaiah 38:17; Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34
• 48. Genesis 24:27; Genesis 32:10
• 49. Deuteronomy 7:8, 12

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "my soul"
• [b]. Or "loyal"
• [c]. Lit "openings of your mouth"
• [d]. I.e. right dealing
• [e]. Lit "Now"
• [f]. Lit "become a trampled" place
• [g]. Lit "he"
• [h]. Lit "River"
• [i]. Or "inheritance"
• [j]. Or "Carmel"
• [k]. Lit "him"
• [l]. Lit "fastnesses"
• [m]. Or "inheritance"
• [n]. Or "lovingkindness"
• [o]. Several ancient versions read "our"
• [p]. Or "faithfulness"
• [q]. Or "lovingkindness"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 7

This chapter begins with a lamentation of the prophet, in the name of the church and people of God, concerning the general depravity and corruption of the times in which he lived, Mic 7:1-6; then declares what he was determined to do for his relief in such circumstances, Mic 7:7; comforts himself and the church with a good hope and firm belief of its being otherwise and better with them, to the shame and confusion of their enemies that now rejoiced, though without just reason for it, Mic 7:8-10; with promises of deliverance, after a desolation of the land for some time, Mic 7:11-13; and with the answer returned to the prayers of the prophet, Mic 7:14,15; which would issue in the astonishment of the world, and their subjection to the church of God, Mic 7:16,17; and the chapter is concluded with admiration at the pardoning grace and mercy of God, and his faithfulness to his promises, Mic 7:18-20.