Micah’s Prayer Answered

14 Shepherd your people(A) with your staff,(B)
the flock that is your possession.
They live alone(C) in a woodland
surrounded by pastures.
Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead(D)
as in ancient times.(E)

15 I will perform miracles for them[a]
as in the days of your exodus
from the land of Egypt.(F)
16 Nations will see and be ashamed
of[b] all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths,(G)
and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick the dust like a snake;(H)
they will come trembling out of their hiding places(I)
like reptiles slithering on the ground.(J)
They will tremble in the presence of the Lord our God;(K)
they will stand in awe of you.

18 Who is a God like you,(L)
forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion(M)
for the remnant of his inheritance?(N)
He does not hold on to his anger forever(O)
because he delights in faithful love.(P)
19 He will again have compassion on us;
he will vanquish our iniquities.(Q)
You will cast all our[c] sins
into the depths of the sea.(R)
20 You will show loyalty to Jacob(S)
and faithful love to Abraham,
as you swore to our ancestors(T)
from days long ago.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:15 = Israel
  2. 7:16 Or ashamed in spite of
  3. 7:19 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read their

14 Shepherd your people with your staff,
    the flock of your inheritance,
those dwelling alone in a forest
    in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
    as in the days of old.
15 As in the days when you came out
    from the land of Egypt
    I will show him wondrous things.
16 The nations will see and be ashamed
    because of all their might.
They will lay the hand on the mouth;
    their ears will be deaf.
17 They will lick the dust like the serpent,
    like the crawling things of the earth.
They will come trembling from their strongholds
    to Yahweh our God.
    Let them fear and be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God like you, forgiving sin
    and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger forever,
    for he delights in loyal love.
19 He will again have compassion[a] on us;
    he will trample our iniquities.
And you will hurl all their sins
    in the depths of the sea.
20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
    and loyal love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our ancestors[b]
    from the days of old.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:19 Literally “He will return, he will have compassion”
  2. Micah 7:20 Or “fathers”