Israel’s Moral Decline

7 How sad for me!

For I am like one who—

when the summer fruit has been gathered

after the gleaning of the grape harvest d—

finds no grape cluster to eat,

no early fig, which I crave. e

2 Godly people have vanished from the land; f

there is no one upright among the people. g

All of them wait in ambush to shed blood; h

they hunt each other with a net. i

3 Both hands are good j at accomplishing evil:

the official and the judge demand a bribe; k

when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,

they plot it together.

4 The best of them is like a brier; l

the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns. m

The day of your watchmen,

the day of your punishment, is coming; n

at this time their panic is here. o

5 Do not rely on a friend; p

don’t trust in a close companion.

Seal your mouth

from the woman who lies in your arms.

6 Surely a son considers his father a fool, q

a daughter opposes her mother,

and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

7 But I will look to the Lord; r

I will wait for the God of my salvation. s

My God will hear me. t

Zion’s Vindication

8 Do not rejoice over me, u my enemy!

Though I have fallen, I will stand up; v

though I sit in darkness,

the Lord will be my light. w

9 Because I have sinned against Him,

I must endure the Lord’s rage

until He argues my case x

and establishes justice for me. y

He will bring me into the light; z

I will see His salvation. a b

10 Then my enemy will see,

and she will be covered with shame,

the one who said to me,

“Where is the Lord your God?” c

My eyes will look at her in triumph;

at that time she will be trampled

like mud in the streets. d

11 A day will come for rebuilding your walls; e

on that day your boundary will be extended. f

12 On that day people will come to you g

from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,

even from Egypt to the Euphrates River

and from sea to sea

and mountain to mountain.

13 Then the earth will become a wasteland h

because of its inhabitants

and as a result of their actions. i

Micah’s Prayer Answered

14 Shepherd Your people j with Your staff, k

the flock that is Your possession.

They live alone l in a woodland

surrounded by pastures.

Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead m

as in ancient times. n

15 I will perform miracles for them o

as in the days of your exodus

from the land of Egypt. p

16 Nations will see and be ashamed

of q all their power.

They will put their hands over their mouths, r

and their ears will become deaf.

17 They will lick the dust like a snake; s

they will come trembling out of their hiding places t

like reptiles slithering on the ground. u

They will tremble in the presence of * Yahweh our God; v

they will stand in awe of You.

18 Who is a God like You, w

removing iniquity and passing over rebellion x

for the remnant of His inheritance? y

He does not hold on to His anger forever, z

because He delights in faithful love. a

19 He will again have compassion on us;

He will vanquish our iniquities. b

You will cast all our c sins

into the depths of the sea. d

20 You will show loyalty to Jacob e

and faithful love to Abraham,

as You swore to our fathers f

from days long ago.