Micah 7

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 of your watchmen has come,

the day God visits you.

Now is the time of their confusion.^l

Do not trust a neighbor;

put no confidence in a friend.^m

Even with the woman who lies in your embrace

be careful of your words.

For a son dishonors his father,

a daughter rises up against her mother,ⁿ

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

your enemies are the members of your 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,^a my enemy!

Though I have fallen, I will rise.^b

Though I sit in darkness,

the Lord will be my light.^c

Because I have sinned against him,

I will bear the Lord’s wrath,^d

until he pleads my case^e

and establishes my right.

He will bring me out into the light;^f

I will see his righteousness.^g

Then my enemy will see it

and will be covered with shame,^h

she who said to me,

“Where is the Lord your God?”ⁱ

My eyes will see her downfall;^j

even now she will be trampled^k underfoot

like mire in the streets.

The day for building your walls^l will come,

the day for extending your boundaries.

In that day people will come to you

from Assyria^m and the cities of Egypt,

even from Egypt to the Euphrates

and from sea to sea

and from mountain to mountain.ⁿ

The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,

as the result of their deeds.^o

Prayer and Praise

Shepherd^a your people with your staff,^b

the flock of your inheritance,

which lives by itself in a forest,

in fertile pasturelands.^c

Let them feed in Bashan^d and Gilead^e

as in days long ago.^f

“As in the days when you came out of Egypt,

I will show them my wonders.^g”

Nations will see and be ashamed,^h

deprived of all their power.

They will put their hands over their mouthsⁱ

and their ears will become deaf.

They will lick dust^j like a snake,

like creatures that crawl on the ground.

They will come trembling^k out of their dens;

they will turn in fear^l to the Lord our God

and will be afraid of you.

Who is a God^m like you,

who pardons sinⁿ and forgives^o the transgression

of the remnant^p of his inheritance?^q

You do not stay angry^r forever

but delight to show mercy.^s

You will again have compassion on us;

you will tread our sins underfoot

and hurl all our iniquities^t into the depths of the sea.^u

You will be faithful to Jacob,

and show love to Abraham,^v

as you pledged on oath to our ancestors^w

in days long ago.^x