Micah 7:14–20

^14–17Shepherd, O God, your people with your staff,

your dear and precious flock.

Uniquely yours in a grove of trees,

centered in lotus land.

Let them graze in lush Bashan

as in the old days in green Gilead.

Reproduce the miracle-wonders

of our exodus from Egypt.

And the godless nations: Put them in their place—

humiliated in their arrogance, speechless and clueless.

Make them slink like snakes, crawl like cockroaches,

come out of their holes from under their rocks

And face our God.

Fill them with holy fear and trembling.

^18–20Where is the god who can compare with you—

wiping the slate clean of guilt,

Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear,

to the past sins of your purged and precious people?

You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long,

for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most.

And compassion is on its way to us.

You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing.

You’ll sink our sins

to the bottom of the ocean.

You’ll stay true to your word to Father Jacob

and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham—

Everything you promised our ancestors

from a long time ago.