Micah 7
New King James Version

Sorrow for Israel’s Sins

7 Woe is me!
For I am like those who gather summer fruits,
Like those who^(A)glean vintage grapes;
There is nocluster to eat
Of the first-ripe fruitwhich^(B)my soul desires.
²The^(C)faithful^[a]manhas perished from the earth,
Andthere isno one upright among men.
They all lie in wait for blood;
^(D)Every man hunts his brother with a net.

³That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
The prince asksfor gifts,
The judgeseeksa^(E)bribe,
And the greatmanutters his evil desire;
So they scheme together.
⁴The best of themis^(F)like a brier;
The most uprightis sharperthan a thorn hedge;
The day of your watchman and your punishment comes;
Now shall be their perplexity.

⁵^(G)Do not trust in a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your^(H)bosom.
⁶For^(I)son dishonors father,
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
A man’s enemiesarethe men of his own household.
⁷Therefore I will look to theLord;
I will^(J)wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

⁸^(K)Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
^(L)When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
TheLordwill bea light to me.
⁹^(M)I will bear the indignation of theLord,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my^(N)case
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.
¹⁰Thenshe who ismy enemy will see,
And^(O)shame will cover her who said to me,
^(P)“Where is theLordyour God?”
My eyes will see her;
Now she will be trampled down
Like mud in the streets.

¹¹Inthe day when your^(Q)walls are to be built,
Inthat day^[b]the decree shall go far and wide.
¹²Inthat day^(R)they^[c]shall come to you
From Assyria and the^[d]fortified cities,
From the^[e]fortress to^[f]the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountaintomountain.
¹³Yet the land shall be desolate
Because of those who dwell in it,
And^(S)for the fruit of their deeds.

God Will Forgive Israel

¹⁴Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
The flock of Your heritage,
Who dwell^[g]solitarilyina^(T)woodland,
In the midst of Carmel;
Let them feedinBashan and Gilead,
As in days of old.

¹⁵“As^(U)in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
I will show^[h]them^(V)wonders.”

¹⁶The nations^(W)shall see and be ashamed of all their might;
^(X)They shall puttheirhand overtheirmouth;
Their ears shall be deaf.
¹⁷They shall lick the^(Y)dust like a serpent;
^(Z)They shall crawl from their holes like^[i]snakes of the earth.
^(AA)They shall be afraid of theLordour God,
And shall fear because of You.
¹⁸^(AB)Whoisa God like You,
^(AC)Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of^(AD)the remnant of His heritage?

^(AE)He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delightsin^(AF)mercy.^[j]
¹⁹He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all^[k]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
²⁰^(AG)You will give truth to Jacob
And^[l]mercy to Abraham,
^(AH)Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.