Micah 7

Israel’s Misery

1 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 that I crave.

2 The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.

3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.

4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.

5 Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips.

6 For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Israel Will Rise

8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.

10 Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.

11 The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries.

12 In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds.

Prayer and Praise

14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands.^[a]Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.

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

16 Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf.

17 They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground. They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the LORD our God and will be afraid of you.

18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.

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Micah 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The general prevalence of wickedness. (1-7) Reliance on God, and triumph over enemies. (8-13) Promises and encouragements for Israel. (14-20)

Verses 1-7 The prophet bemoans himself that he lived among a people ripening apace for ruin, in which many good persons would suffer. Men had no comfort, no satisfaction in their own families or in their nearest relations. Contempt and violation of domestic duties are a sad symptom of universal corruption. Those are never likely to come to good who are undutiful to their parents. The prophet saw no safety or comfort but in looking to the Lord, and waiting on God his salvation. When under trials, we should look continually to our Divine Redeemer, that we may have strength and grace to trust in him, and to be examples to those around us.

Verses 8-13 Those truly penitent for sin, will see great reason to be patient under affliction. When we complain to the Lord of the badness of the times, we ought to complain against ourselves for the badness of our hearts. We must depend upon God to work deliverance for us in due time. We must not only look to him, but look for him. In our greatest distresses, we shall see no reason to despair of salvation, if by faith we look to the Lord as the God of our salvation. Though enemies triumph and insult, they shall be silenced and put to shame. Though Zion's walls may long be in ruins, there will come a day when they shall be repaired. Israel shall come from all the remote parts, not turning back for discouragements. Though our enemies may seem to prevail against us, and to rejoice over us, we should not despond. Though cast down, we are not destroyed; we may join hope in God's mercy, with submission to his correction. No hinderances can prevent the favours the Lord intends for his church.

Verses 14-20 When God is about to deliver his people, he stirs up their friends to pray for them. Apply spiritually the prophet's prayer to Christ, to take care of his church, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to go before them, while they are here in this world as in a wood, in this world but not of it. God promises in answer to this prayer, he will do that for them which shall be repeating the miracles of former ages. As their sin brought them into bondage, so God's pardoning their sin brought them out. All who find pardoning mercy, cannot but wonder at that mercy; we have reason to stand amazed, if we know what it is. When the Lord takes away the guilt of sin, that it may not condemn us, he will break the power of sin, that it may not have dominion over us. If left to ourselves, our sins will be too hard for us; but God's grace shall be sufficient to subdue them, so that they shall not rule us, and then they shall not ruin us. When God forgives sin, he takes care that it never shall be remembered any more against the sinner. He casts their sins into the sea; not near the shore-side, where they may appear again, but into the depth of the sea, never to rise again. All their sins shall be cast there, for when God forgives sin, he forgives all. He will perfect that which concerns us, and with this good work will do all for us which our case requires, and which he has promised. These engagements relate to Christ, and the success of the gospel to the end of time, the future restoration of Israel, and the final prevailing of true religion in all lands. The Lord will perform his truth and mercy, not one jot or tittle of it shall fall to the ground: faithful is He that has promised, who also will do it. Let us remember that the Lord has given the security of his covenant, for strong consolation to all who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them in Christ Jesus.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 57

1. S Song of Songs 2:13
2. S Psalms 12:1
3. S Jeremiah 2:29; Jeremiah 8:6
4. Psalms 10:8
5. S Proverbs 6:17; S Micah 3:10
6. S Isaiah 3:5
7. S Jeremiah 5:26
8. S Proverbs 4:16
9. S Exodus 23:8; S Ezekiel 22:12
10. S Numbers 33:55; S Ezekiel 2:6
11. S 2 Samuel 23:6
12. S Job 31:14; Isaiah 22:5; S Hosea 9:7
13. Jeremiah 9:4
14. S Ezekiel 22:7
15. Matthew 10:35-36*; S Mark 13:12
16. S Isaiah 21:8
17. Psalms 130:5; Isaiah 25:9
18. S Psalms 4:3
19. S Psalms 22:17; S Proverbs 24:17; S Micah 4:11
20. Psalms 20:8; Psalms 37:24; S Amos 9:11
21. S 2 Samuel 22:29; Isaiah 9:2
22. Lamentations 3:39-40
23. S Psalms 119:154
24. S Psalms 107:10
25. Isaiah 46:13
26. S Psalms 35:26
27. S Psalms 42:3
28. S Isaiah 51:23
29. S 2 Samuel 22:43; S Job 40:12; S Isaiah 5:5; Zechariah 10:5
30. Isaiah 54:11; S Amos 9:11
31. S Isaiah 11:11
32. Isaiah 19:23-25; Isaiah 60:4
33. Isaiah 3:10-11; S Ezekiel 12:19; S Ezekiel 33:28-29
34. S Psalms 28:9; S Micah 5:4
35. Psalms 23:4
36. Psalms 95:7
37. S Isaiah 33:9
38. S Song of Songs 4:1; S Jeremiah 50:19
39. Ezekiel 36:11
40. S Exodus 3:20; Psalms 78:12
41. Isaiah 26:11
42. S Judges 18:19
43. S Genesis 3:14
44. 2 Samuel 22:46
45. Isaiah 25:3; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 59:19
46. S Exodus 8:10; S 1 Samuel 2:2
47. S Isaiah 43:25; S Jeremiah 50:20; Zechariah 3:4
48. S 2 Chronicles 6:21; Psalms 103:8-13
49. S Joel 2:32; S Amos 5:15; S Micah 2:12
50. S Exodus 34:9
51. S Psalms 103:9; S Isaiah 54:9
52. S 2 Chronicles 30:9; S Jeremiah 31:20; Jeremiah 32:41; S Ezekiel 18:23
53. S Isaiah 43:25
54. S Jeremiah 31:34
55. Galatians 3:16
56. Deuteronomy 7:8; Luke 1:72
57. Psalms 108:4

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "in the middle of Carmel"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 7

This chapter begins with a lamentation of the prophet, in the name of the church and people of God, concerning the general depravity and corruption of the times in which he lived, Mic 7:1-6; then declares what he was determined to do for his relief in such circumstances, Mic 7:7; comforts himself and the church with a good hope and firm belief of its being otherwise and better with them, to the shame and confusion of their enemies that now rejoiced, though without just reason for it, Mic 7:8-10; with promises of deliverance, after a desolation of the land for some time, Mic 7:11-13; and with the answer returned to the prayers of the prophet, Mic 7:14,15; which would issue in the astonishment of the world, and their subjection to the church of God, Mic 7:16,17; and the chapter is concluded with admiration at the pardoning grace and mercy of God, and his faithfulness to his promises, Mic 7:18-20.