Micah 7

1Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.footnote a

2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.footnote b

3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.footnote c

4The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

5Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

6For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

7Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

8Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

9I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

10Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.footnote dfootnote e

11In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

12In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.footnote f

13Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.footnote g

14Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.footnote h

15According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

16The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

17They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.footnote i

18Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Israel’s Great Misery

1Woe is me!For I am like one gathering summer fruitat the gleaning of the vineyard;there is no cluster to eat,no early fig that I crave. 2The godly man has perished from the earth;there is no one upright among men.They all lie in wait for blood;they hunt one another with a net. 3Both hands are skilled at evil;the prince and the judge demand a bribe.When the powerful utters his evil desire,they all conspire together. 4The best of them is like a brier;the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns.The day for your watchmen has come,the day of your visitation.footnote aNow is the time of their confusion. 5Do not rely on a friend;do not trust in a companion.Seal the doors of your mouthfrom her who lies in your arms.footnote b 6For a son dishonors his father,a daughter rises against her mother,and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.A man’s enemies are the membersof his own household.footnote c

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

7But as for me, I will look to the LORD;I will wait for the God of my salvation.My God will hear me.

8Do not gloat over me, my enemy!Though I have fallen, I will arise;though I sit in darkness,the LORD will be my light. 9Because I have sinned against Him,I must endure the rage of the LORD,until He argues my caseand executes justice for me.He will bring me into the light;I will see His righteousness. 10Then my enemy will seeand will be covered with shame—she who said to me,“Where is the LORD your God?”My eyes will see her;at that time she will be trampledlike mud in the streets.

11The day for rebuilding your walls will come—the day for extending your boundary. 12On that day they will come to youfrom Assyria and the cities of Egypt,even from Egypt to the Euphrates,footnote dfrom sea to sea and mountain to mountain. 13Then the earth will become desolatebecause of its inhabitants,as the fruit of their deeds.

God’s Compassion on Israel

14Shepherd with Your staff Your people,the flock of Your inheritance.They live alone in a woodland,surrounded by pastures.footnote eLet them graze in Bashan and Gilead,as in the days of old.

15As in the days when you came out of Egypt,I will show My wonders. 16Nations will see and be ashamed,deprived of all their might.They will put their hands over their mouths,and their ears will become deaf. 17They will lick the dust like a snake,like reptiles slithering on the ground.They will come trembling from their strongholdsin the presence of the LORD our God;they will tremble in fear of You.

18Who is a God like You,who pardons iniquityand passes over the transgressionof the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever,because He delights in loving devotion?footnote f 19He will again have compassion on us;He will vanquish our iniquities.You will cast out all our sinsinto the depths of the sea. 20You will show faithfulness to Jacoband loving devotion to Abraham,as You swore to our fathersfrom the days of old.