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Misery Turned to Hope

How miserable I am!
I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest
    who can find nothing to eat.
Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig
    can be found to satisfy my hunger.
The godly people have all disappeared;
    not one honest person is left on the earth.
They are all murderers,
    setting traps even for their own brothers.
Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil!
    Officials and judges alike demand bribes.
The people with influence get what they want,
    and together they scheme to twist justice.
Even the best of them is like a brier;
    the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.
But your judgment day is coming swiftly now.
    Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion.
Don’t trust anyone—
    not your best friend or even your wife!
For the son despises his father.
    The daughter defies her mother.
The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law.
    Your enemies are right in your own household!

As for me, I look to the Lord for help.
    I wait confidently for God to save me,
    and my God will certainly hear me.
Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
    For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.
I will be patient as the Lord punishes me,
    for I have sinned against him.
But after that, he will take up my case
    and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies.
The Lord will bring me into the light,
    and I will see his righteousness.
10 Then my enemies will see that the Lord is on my side.
    They will be ashamed that they taunted me, saying,
“So where is the Lord
    that God of yours?”
With my own eyes I will see their downfall;
    they will be trampled like mud in the streets.

11 In that day, Israel, your cities will be rebuilt,
    and your borders will be extended.
12 People from many lands will come and honor you—
    from Assyria all the way to the towns of Egypt,
from Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River,[a]
    and from distant seas and mountains.
13 But the land[b] will become empty and desolate
    because of the wickedness of those who live there.

The Lord’s Compassion on Israel

14 O Lord, protect your people with your shepherd’s staff;
    lead your flock, your special possession.
Though they live alone in a thicket
    on the heights of Mount Carmel,[c]
let them graze in the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead
    as they did long ago.

15 “Yes,” says the Lord,
    “I will do mighty miracles for you,
like those I did when I rescued you
    from slavery in Egypt.”

16 All the nations of the world will stand amazed
    at what the Lord will do for you.
They will be embarrassed
    at their feeble power.
They will cover their mouths in silent awe,
    deaf to everything around them.
17 Like snakes crawling from their holes,
    they will come out to meet the Lord our God.
They will fear him greatly,
    trembling in terror at his presence.

18 Where is another God like you,
    who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
    overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
    because you delight in showing unfailing love.
19 Once again you will have compassion on us.
    You will trample our sins under your feet
    and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
    as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

Footnotes

  1. 7:12 Hebrew the river.
  2. 7:13 Or earth.
  3. 7:14 Or surrounded by a fruitful land.

There Is No Upright Person

Woe is me! For I am
Like the fruit pickers, like the (A)grape gatherers.
There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,
Or a (B)first-ripe fig which my soul desires.
The [a]holy one has (C)perished from the land,
And there is no upright person among men.
All of them lie in wait for (D)bloodshed;
Each of them hunts the other with a (E)net.
Concerning evil, both hands do it (F)well.
The prince asks, also the judge, for a (G)payment,
And a great man speaks the craving of his soul;
So they weave it together.
The best of them is like a (H)briar,
The most upright like a (I)thorn hedge.
The day when you post your watchmen,
Your (J)punishment will come.
[b]At that time their (K)panic will happen.
Do not (L)believe in a neighbor;
Do not have confidence in a close companion.
From her who lies in your bosom
Guard the openings of your mouth.
For (M)son treats father as a wicked fool;
Daughter rises up against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
(N)A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

Yahweh Is a Light for Me

But as for me, I will (O)watch expectantly for Yahweh;
I will (P)wait for the God of my salvation.
My (Q)God will hear me.
(R)Do not be glad over me, O (S)my enemy.
Though I fall I will (T)rise;
Though I inhabit the darkness, Yahweh is a (U)light for me.

I will bear the rage of Yahweh
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He (V)pleads my case and does justice for me.
He will bring me out to the (W)light,
And I will see His [c](X)righteousness.
10 Then my enemy will see,
And shame will cover her who (Y)said to me,
“Where is Yahweh your God?”
My eyes will look on her;
[d]At that time she will [e]be (Z)trampled down
Like mire of the streets.
11 It will be a day for (AA)building your walls.
On that day your boundary will be extended.
12 It will be a day when [f]they will (AB)come to you
From Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
From Egypt even to the [g]River,
Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13 And the earth will become (AC)desolate because of her inhabitants,
On account of the (AD)fruit of their deeds.

14 (AE)Shepherd Your people with Your (AF)scepter,
The flock of Your inheritance
Which dwells by itself in the forest,
In the midst of [h]a fruitful orchard.
Let them feed in (AG)Bashan and Gilead
(AH)As in the ancient days.
15 “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,
I will show [i](AI)you wondrous deeds.”
16 Nations (AJ)will see and be ashamed
Of all their might.
They will (AK)put their hand on their mouth;
Their ears will be deaf.
17 They will (AL)lick the dust like a serpent,
Like (AM)crawling things of the earth.
They will come (AN)trembling out of their [j]fortresses;
To Yahweh our God they will come in (AO)dread,
And they will be afraid before You.
18 Who is a God like You, who (AP)forgives iniquity
And passes over the transgression of the (AQ)remnant of His inheritance?
He does not (AR)hold fast to His anger forever
Because He (AS)delights in lovingkindness.
19 He will again have compassion on us;
(AT)He will subdue our iniquities.
And You will (AU)cast all [k]their sins
Into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give [l](AV)truth to Jacob
And lovingkindness to Abraham,
Which You (AW)swore to our fathers
From the days of old.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:2 Or one of lovingkindness
  2. Micah 7:4 Lit Now
  3. Micah 7:9 Right dealing
  4. Micah 7:10 Lit Now
  5. Micah 7:10 Lit become a trampled place
  6. Micah 7:12 Lit he
  7. Micah 7:12 The Euphrates River
  8. Micah 7:14 Or Carmel
  9. Micah 7:15 Lit him
  10. Micah 7:17 Lit fastnesses
  11. Micah 7:19 Several ancient versions our
  12. Micah 7:20 Or faithfulness

Israel’s Misery

What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
    at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
    none of the early figs(A) that I crave.
The faithful have been swept from the land;(B)
    not one(C) upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait(D) to shed blood;(E)
    they hunt each other(F) with nets.(G)
Both hands are skilled in doing evil;(H)
    the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,(I)
    the powerful dictate what they desire—
    they all conspire together.
The best of them is like a brier,(J)
    the most upright worse than a thorn(K) hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.(L)
Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.(M)
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,(N)
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.(O)

But as for me, I watch(P) in hope(Q) for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear(R) me.

Israel Will Rise

Do not gloat over me,(S) my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.(T)
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.(U)
Because I have sinned against him,
    I will bear the Lord’s wrath,(V)
until he pleads my case(W)
    and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;(X)
    I will see his righteousness.(Y)
10 Then my enemy will see it
    and will be covered with shame,(Z)
she who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”(AA)
My eyes will see her downfall;(AB)
    even now she will be trampled(AC) underfoot
    like mire in the streets.

11 The day for building your walls(AD) will come,
    the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
    from Assyria(AE) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
    and from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.(AF)
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
    as the result of their deeds.(AG)

Prayer and Praise

14 Shepherd(AH) your people with your staff,(AI)
    the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
    in fertile pasturelands.[a](AJ)
Let them feed in Bashan(AK) and Gilead(AL)
    as in days long ago.(AM)

15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
    I will show them my wonders.(AN)

16 Nations will see and be ashamed,(AO)
    deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths(AP)
    and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust(AQ) like a snake,
    like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling(AR) out of their dens;
    they will turn in fear(AS) to the Lord our God
    and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God(AT) like you,
    who pardons sin(AU) and forgives(AV) the transgression
    of the remnant(AW) of his inheritance?(AX)
You do not stay angry(AY) forever
    but delight to show mercy.(AZ)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities(BA) into the depths of the sea.(BB)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,(BC)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(BD)
    in days long ago.(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:14 Or in the middle of Carmel