Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Micah 7:9
I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness.
9. I will bear the indignation ] The speaker is sure that Jehovah is still his God; consequently in wrath He will still remember mercy, and will, in His own good time, remove the rod.
I have sinned against him ] The pious portion of Israel is included in the confession, as in Isa 64:5.
my cause ] i.e. Israel’s quarrel with the oppressor.
his righteousness ] i.e. His interposition for my deliverance. When God has once entered into a covenant, it is only ‘righteous’ for Him to protect those who are in relations with Him. This conception of the Divine righteousness is important; as another equally Biblical conception (the forensic) has become almost too prominent. So St John says (1st Eph 1:9) that God is ‘faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him – This is the temper of all penitents, when stricken by God, or under chastisement from Him. It is the Lord, let Him, do what seemeth Him good 1Sa 3:18. So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? 2Sa 16:10. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope Lam 3:29. The penitent owns the just sentence of God, and, knowing that he deserves far more than God inflicts, is thankful to endure it, until He remove it, until He plead my cause rend execute judgment for me, that is, until God Himself think the punishments inflicted, enough, and judge between me and those through whose hands they come. The judgments which God righteously sends, and which man suffers righteously from Him, are unrighteously inflicted by those whose malice He overrules, whether it be that of evil men (as the Assyrian or the Chaldaean or the Edomite) or of Satan. The close of the chastisements of His people is the beginning of the visible punishment of their misdecds, who used amiss the power which God gave them over it.
Whence it is said, Daughter of Babylon, the wasted! blessed he that rewardth thee as thou hast served us Psa 137:8. But all is of the mercy of God. So He saith, He shall bring me forth to the light of His Countenance and His favor and His truth. Micah speaks in the name of those who were penitent, and so were forgiven, and yet, in that they were under punishment, seemed to lie under the wrath of God. For, although God remits at once the eternal penalty of sin, yet we see daily, how punishment pursues the for given sinner, even to the end of life. The light of Gods love may not, on grounds which He knoweth, shine unchequered upon him. We should not know the blackness of the offence of sin, and should never know the depth of Gods mercy, but for our punishment. The indignation of God toward the penitcnt is an austere form of His love. So then penitents may well say, in every grief or sickness or visitation or disappointment, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him. He says, I shall behold His righteousness, because they had a righteous cause against man, although not toward God, and God in His just judgment on their enemies shewed Himself as the righteous Judge of the world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mic 7:9
I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him
The believer, conscious of Gods displeasure, confessing his sin
This is the language of the Church of the living God.
It is a sincere and upright acknowledgment of her own fault. She saw God in the dealing and conduct of her enemies. This led her to confession. This led her to holy determination; and also to patient waiting; and a believing confidence.
I. The solemn purpose of the soul. I will bear the indignation of the Lord. She saw the Lords hand in her afflictions. It is no small wisdom, when we are enabled to see clearly the mind and the dealings of God with us in our afflictions. What was the indignation that the Church had to bear? Not that which God shows to those who despise Him and rebel against Him; but the eternal display of Gods wrath against sin, a holy indignation against iniquity; the indignation of a Fathers displeasure. It is not the less painful for that. It is the very love of the father that makes his displeasure so keen to the heart of the child.
II. The reason that she gives for it. Because I have sinned against Him. Sin should be regarded in three different points of view. There is a course of sin. There are sins into which a child of God may be surprised. There is the missing of the aim of the child of God. There are two features in her confession. She acknowledged the sin to have been against God. And she threw the blame upon herself. Excuse mars confession. She did not throw the blame on inward corruption. Some confess sin, but they only confess it in the general. If a man truly confesses, he searches sin to the root. Nothing more humbles the spirit than such thorough and sincere confession. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)
The child of God under chastisement
The consequences of national backsliding could only be national judgments. This the prophet foresees; and in the name of the pious remnant, he turns to God for that hope and consolation which nothing on earth can yield. As for the chastisement which the Jewish Church was about to suffer, she is taught, in our text, to use the language of submission and of hope. Learn from the text, what are the feelings, what is the behaviour of a child of God under affliction.
I. He submits himself to God. Various are the trials which the people of God are called to endure. There is no promise that they shall be exempt from distressing circumstances. Each one shares the common sorrows of humanity. Each one has also sorrows peculiar to himself, arising from his disposition and circumstances. Yet, in all, the real child of God beholds Gods hand. He knows that, whatever he may have to suffer, it is from the Lord. Knowing, then, whence his troubles come, the child of God bows beneath the chastisement, it may be with a keen feeling of their loss, or woe, but with a patient submission to Gods will.
II. He justifies God. Pride may sometimes enable a man resolutely to bear evils which cannot be avoided. A naturally cheerful temper, also, will not feel the burden of sorrow so heavy as it is felt by a mind naturally anxious and desponding. But Christian submission is accompanied by a feeling which mere cheerfulness cannot produce, and which pride steadily opposes–a feeling of conscious guilt. Every grief is the offspring of sin. The Lord afflicts us, either that we may not forget our original deserts, as children of wrath; or, because we have committed some new transgression; or, as a means of correcting and renewing our naturally corrupt hearts. The child of God, therefore, while he smarts beneath the stroke of chastisement, acknowledges the propriety of it. He submits, for he knows that he has deserved it. This is the state of mind which God desires to behold in every sinner. This is the very end for which earthly trials are sent.
III. Hopes in God. Until He plead my cause. Trust in the mercy of God is no less the duty of a true Christian, than submission to the will of God and an acknowledgment of His justice in afflicting us. The child of God puts his trust in that very hand which smiteth him. Faith enables him to see, that chastisement, when patiently endured, is a sign of his adoption. Being assured of this, he can trust his Fathers kind affection for removing the trial in due time. Thus doth the afflicted child of God lean only upon the hope of His heavenly grace. Worldly sorrows thus become light and tolerable even when they are manifestly the consequences of sin. As I have cautioned you against a merely proud submission to God, and against an impenitent confession of your sinfulness, let me also warn you against a presumptuous hope of Gods mercy. God is a jealous God. There is a hope which will prove at last no better than a vain presumption: and the Bible does not leave us in doubt as to what that hope is. It is the hope of the hypocrite. It is the hope of the careless, thoughtless sinner, who talks loudly about Gods mercy. There is but one way in which you are authorised to hope in God. Approach Him with deep and heartfelt penitence; abhor and forsake every sin; and then your confidence in Him will stand on a secure foundation. (J. Jowett, M. A.)
Culture under trial
Transfer this language from the lips of the Church to the lips of the individual Christian, and consider it as an indication of a spirit which needs to be more largely cultivated.
I. Determination to be cultured under trial. I will bear, etc . . . against Him. Two kinds of indignation spoken of in Scripture. Of one it is said, Who can stand before His indignation? Of the other the Church says, I will bear it. The one, fiery wrath of an offended King; the other, chastening displeasure of a loving Father. The one, hot anger, which utterly consumes; the other, loving correction, which melts, refines, and purifies. While before one none can stand, before the other, that we may be partakers of His holiness, God yearns that we may bow. When the Christian sees chastening displeasure issuing from a Fathers wounded love, he says, I will bear the indignation of the Lord. But something more. Because I have sinned. I will bear it, because it is less than I deserve; because I know who sends it, and the object He has in view. Illustrate Shimeis conduct, and Davids treatment of him (2Sa 16:5-14). Recollect that Gods indignation may fall on us through others, or may come direct from Him.
II. Limit of endurance to be proposed. Until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me. In the trials which the Church had schooled herself to bear, there had been much of harshness, injustice, and wrong. God permits others to afflict us, whose purpose may be different to His own. Though the wrath of man is hateful, God makes it subservient to His wise purposes, and restrains its exercise. In every case of this kind, we should distinguish between mans purpose and Gods purpose, or patience is beyond our reach. Illustrate Joseph in Egypt; and Israel in Egypt. If then, besides looking at mans purpose, we will train ourselves to look at Gods purpose, and also for Gods limit, we shall be able to appropriate the language of the text, and so follow the example of Christ, who, under trial, committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.
III. Expression of confidence to be maintained. He will bring me forth . . . light . . . righteousness. Observe the meaning of the language. Obviously figurative: sorrow, trouble, desolation (whether the temporal or spiritual) continually spoken of as darkness, and the reverse as light. But, when the proper season comes, God fulfils His promise to make darkness light before His servants, by turning doubt into confidence, affliction into prosperity, sorrow into joy; and He brings them forth into the light by removing their burdens, making clear their way, vindicating them from false charges, and revealing, at least in some measure, the reason and benefit of their grief. (W. D. J. Straton, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord] The words of the penitent captives, acknowledging their sins and praying for mercy.
Until he plead my cause] And wo to the slanderers, when God undertakes to plead for the fallen who have returned to him with deep compunction of heart, seeking redemption in the blood of the cross.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I will bear, patiently and submissively, the indignation of the Lord; the just and chastising anger of the Lord, in the effects of it upon me.
Because I have sinned against him, greatly, continually, both against his law and the precepts thereof, and against his love and the effects thereof. Judah was guilty of idolatry, ingratitude against God; and of injustice, unfaithfulness, and unmercifulness against one another; and these sins deserved sorer punishments than they suffered, therefore the righteous ones here justify God, and humble themselves.
Until he plead my cause against mine enemy, for that he will ere long do, as well as now he doth plead his own cause against me. He will be as well a just judge against mine enemies, to avenge me on them, as he is a just God, by my sins provoked to chastise me.
And execute judgment for me; when that day comes, he will certainly and evidently declare his judgment to be against mine insulting adversaries, my cruel enemies, and that he doth so punish them for my sake, as Psa 137:7; Isa 10:5,12; Jer 30:8; Zec 1:12,15.
He, the great and glorious, the holy and just God, who now chastiseth me,
will bring me forth to the light; as a prisoner brought out of a dark prison or dungeon into the light, is set at liberty, advanced and beautified, so shall the church be delivered and made to prosper.
I shall behold his righteousness; the truth and riches of his promised salvation. This made good, partly in the restitution of the captivity, rebuilding of Jerusalem by order of Cyrus and Darius, and partly before this in Hezekiahs rescue from Sennacheribs pride and rage.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. bearpatiently.
the indignation of theLordHis punishment inflicted on me (La3:39). The true penitent “accepts the punishment of hisiniquity” (Lev 26:41;Lev 26:43); they who murmuragainst God, do not yet know their guilt (Job 40:4;Job 40:5).
execute judgment formeagainst my foe. God’s people plead guilty before God; but,in respect to their human foes, they are innocent and undeserving oftheir foes’ injuries.
bring me forth to thelightto the temporal and spiritual redemption.
I shall behold hisrighteousnessHis gracious faithfulness to His promises (Ps103:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I will bear the indignation of the Lord,…. The Targum prefaces these words with
“Jerusalem saith;”
and they are the words of the prophet, in the name of Jerusalem or the church, resolving in the strength of divine grace to bear the present affliction, which had at least some appearance of divine indignation in it; not against the persons of God’s people, who are always the objects of his love, and towards whom there is no fury in him; but against their sins, which are displeasing and abominable to him; and this is not in a vindictive way, for such indignation they could never bear; nor can any creature stand before it, or bear up under it; and, besides, Christ has bore the wrath and indignation of God in this sense for them but it here means the displicency and indignation of God in fatherly chastisements, consistent with the strongest love and affection for them; and to bear this is to be humble under the mighty hand of God, quietly to submit to it, and patiently to endure the affliction, without murmuring and repining, till the Lord pleases to remove it. The reason follows,
because I have sinned against him; the best of men sin; sin is the cause and reason of all affliction and distress, whether temporal or spiritual. The consideration of this tends to make and keep good men humble, and quietly submit to the chastising rod of their heavenly father, which they see it is right and proper should be used; and as knowing that they are chastised and afflicted less than their iniquities deserve; and that it is all for their good; a sense of sin stops their mouths, that they have nothing to say against God. The word
here used sometimes signifies the offering an expiatory sacrifice for sin to God; and Gussetius c thinks this is the meaning of it here; and observes, that with the oblation of a contrite heart, and works of charity, the satisfaction of Christ is to be pleaded, and in our way to be offered up to God the Judge, through faith flying to it; whereby the mind is disposed to bear correction patiently, in hope that favour will quickly shine forth in help and deliverance:
until he plead cause, and execute judgment for me; Christ the mighty Redeemer, and powerful and prevalent Mediator, not only pleads the cause of his people with God his Father, and obtains all blessings of grace for them; but he also pleads their cause against their enemies, an ungodly people that strive with them, persecute and distress them; and will in his own time do them justice, and execute vengeance, his righteous judgments, on those that hate them, and rise up against them, as he will on all the antichristian party:
he will bring me forth to the light; like a person taken out of prison, or out of a dungeon, to behold and enjoy the light of the sun and day. The sense is, that he will openly espouse the cause of his church, and give her honour and glory publicly before men; bring forth her righteousness as the light, and her judgment as the noon day; and make her innocence appear as clear as the day, and bring her at last to the light of glory; see Ps 37:6;
[and] I shall behold his righteousness: the equity of his proceedings with his people, in chastising and afflicting them, that they are all right and good; his justice in punishing their enemies, and executing judgment on them; his goodness and beneficence to the saints, all his ways being mercy and truth; his faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises; and the righteousness of Christ, which justifies them before God, renders them acceptable to him, will answer for them in a time to come, and introduce them into his everlasting kingdom and glory.
c Ebr. Comment. p. 923.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“The wrath of Jehovah shall I bear, for I have sinned against Him, till He shall fight my fight, and secure my right. He will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold His righteousness. Mic 7:10. And may my enemy see it, and shame cover her, who hath said to me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes will see it; now will she be for a treading down, like mire of the streets.” Confidence in the help of the Lord flows from the consciousness, that the wretchedness and sufferings are a merited punishment for the sins. This consciousness and feeling generate patience and hope: patience to bear the wrath of God manifesting itself in the sufferings; hope that the sufferings, as inflicted by the righteous God, will cease as soon as the divine justice has been satisfied. Zaaph : lit., the foaming up of wrath (Isa 30:30); hence strong wrath. This the church will bear, till the Lord conducts its conflict and secures its rights. is the judicial conflict between Israel and the heathen power of the world. Although, for example, God had given up His nation to the power of its enemies, the nations of the world, on account of its sins, so that they accomplished the will of God, by destroying the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and carrying away the people into exile; yet they grew proud of their own might in so doing, and did not recognise themselves as instruments of punishment in the hand of the Lord, but attributed their victories to the power of their own arm, and even aimed at the destruction of Israel, with scornful defiance of the living God (cf. Isa 10:5-15; Hab 1:11). Thus they violated the rights of Israel, so that the Lord was obliged to conduct the contest of His people with the heathen, and secure the rights of Israel by the overthrow of the heathen power of the world. For , see Psa 43:1; for , Psa 9:4-5; and for the fact itself, Isa 49:25; Isa 51:22. Mishpat is Israel’s right, in opposition to the powers of the world, who would destroy it. The following word is not governed by , as the absence of the copula Vav shows. With these words the hope takes the form of the certain assurance that the Lord will remove the distress, and let Israel see His righteousness. Ts e daqah is the righteousness of God revealing itself in the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to favour; like ts e daqoth in Mic 6:5: in actual fact, the salvation of Israel about to be secured, regarded as an emanation of the righteousness of the covenant God; hence parallel to . with , to look at, so that one penetrates, as it were, into an object, seeing with feasting of the eyes (so also in Mic 7:10). This exaltation of Israel to new salvation it is hoped that the enemy will see ( , opt.), and be covered with shame; for the power of the world is overthrown, in order that Israel may be redeemed out of its power. This desire is a just one, because the enemy has despised the Lord God. For the expression, “Where is Jehovah thy God?” compare Joe 2:17. And Israel will see its fulfilment ( with Nun doubled after a sharpened ; see Ewald, 198, a). Attah , now (seeing the future in spirit, as having already come), the enemy will be trodden down like mire of the streets (for this figure, see Isa 10:6).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Here the Church of God animates and encourages herself to exercise patience, and does so especially by two arguments. She first sets before herself her sins, and thus humbles herself before God, whom she acknowledges to be a just Judge; and, in the second place, she embraces the hope of the forgiveness of her sins, and from this arises confidence as to her deliverance. By these two supports the Church sustains herself, that she fails not in her troubles, and gathers strength, as I have already said, to endure patiently.
First then he says, The wrath (190) of Jehovah will I bear, for sinned have I against him This passage shows, that when any one is seriously touched with the conviction of God’s judgment, he is at the same time prepared to exercise patience; for it cannot be, but that a sinner, conscious of evil, and knowing that he suffers justly will humbly and thankfully submit to the will of God. Hence when men perversely glamour against God, or murmur, it is certain that they have not as yet been made sensible of their sins. I allow indeed that many feel guilty who yet struggle against God, and fiercely resist his hand as much as they can, and also blaspheme his name when he chastises them: but they are not touched hitherto with the true feeling of penitence, so as to abhor themselves. Judas owned indeed that he had sinned, and freely made such confession, (Mat 27:3.) Cain tried to cover his sin, but the Lord drew from him an unwilling confession, (Gen 4:13.) They did not yet repent; nay, they ceased not to contend with God; for Cain complained that his punishment was too heavy to be borne; Judas despaired. And the same thing happens to all the reprobate. They seemed then to have been sufficiently convinced to acknowledge their guilt, and, as it were, to assent to the justice of God’s judgment; but they did not really know their sins, so as to abhor themselves, as I have said, on account of their sins. For true penitence is ever connected with the submission of which the Prophet now speaks. Whosoever then is really conscious of his sins, renders himself at the same time obedient to God, and submits himself altogether to his will. Thus repentance does ever of itself lead to the bearing of the cross; so that he who sets himself before God’s tribunal allows himself to be at the same time chastised, and bears punishment with a submissive mind: as the ox, that is tamed, always takes the yoke without any resistance, so also is he prepared who is really touched with the sense of his sins, to bear any punishment which God may be pleased to inflict on him. This then is the first thing which we ought to learn from these words of the Prophet, The wrath of Jehovah will I bear, for sinned have I against him.
We also learn from this passage, that all who do not patiently bear his scourges contend with God; for though they do not openly accuse God, and say that they are just, they do not yet ascribe to him his legitimate glory, by confessing that he is a righteous judge. — How so? Because these two things are united together and joined by an indissoluble knot — to be sensible of sin — and to submit patiently to the will of the Judge when he inflicts punishment.
Now follows the other argument, Until he decides my cause, and vindicates my right; he will bring me forth into the light, I shall see his righteousness Here the Church leans on another support; for though the Lord should most heavily afflict her, she would not yet cast aside the hope of deliverance; for she knew, as we have already seen, that she was chastised for her good: and indeed no one could even for a moment continue patient in a state of misery, except he entertained the hope of being delivered, and promised to himself a happy escape. These two things then ought not to be separated, and cannot be, — the acknowledgment of our sins, which will humble us before God, — and the knowledge of his goodness, and a firm assurance as to our salvation; for God has testified that he will be ever propitious to us, how much soever he may punish us for our sins, and that he will remember mercy, as Habakkuk says, in the midst of his wrath, (Hab 3:2.) It would not then be sufficient for us to feel our evils, except the consolation, which proceeds from the promises of grace, be added.
The Prophet shows further, that the Church was innocent, with regard to its enemies, though justly suffering punishment. And this ought to be carefully observed; for whenever we have to do with the wicked, we think that there is no blame belonging to us. But these two things ought to be considered, — that the wicked trouble us without reason, and thus our cause as to them is just, — and yet that we are justly afflicted by God; for we shall ever find many reasons why the Lord should chastise us. These two things, then, ought to be both considered by us, as the Prophet seems to intimate here: for at the beginning of the verse he says, The wrath of God will I bear, for sinned have I against him; and now he adds, The Lord will yet vindicate my right, literally, “will debate my dispute,” that is, plead my cause. Since the Church is guilty before God, nay, waits not for the sentence of the judge, but anticipates it, and freely confesses herself to be worthy of such punishment, what does this mean, — that the Lord will decide her quarrel, that he will undertake her cause? These two things seem to militate the one against the other: but they agree well together when viewed in their different bearings. The Church had confessed that she had sinned against God; she now turns her eyes to another quarter; for she knew that she was unjustly oppressed by enemies; she knew that they were led to do wrong by cruelty alone. This then is the reason why the Church entertained hope, and expected that God would become the defender of her innocence, that is, against the wicked: and yet she humbly acknowledged that she had sinned against God. Whenever, then, our enemies do us harm, let us lay hold on this truth, — that God will become our defender; for he is ever the patron of justice and equity: it cannot then be, that God will abandon us to the violence of the wicked. He will then at length plead our pleading, or undertake our cause, and be its advocate. But, in the meantime, let our sins be remembered by us, that, being truly humbled before God, we may not hope for the salvation which he promises to us, except through gratuitous pardon. Why then are the faithful bidden to be of good comfort in their afflictions? Because God has promised to be their Father; he has received them under his protection, he has testified that his help shall never be wanting to them. But whence is this confidence? Is it because they are worthy? Is it because they have deserved something of this kind? By no means: but they acknowledge themselves to be guilty, when they humbly prostrate themselves before God, and when they willingly condemn themselves before his tribunal, that they may anticipate his judgment. We now see how well the Prophet connects together these two things, which might otherwise seem contradictory.
Now follow the words, He will bring me to the light, I shall see his righteousness! (191) The Church still confirms herself in the hope of deliverance: art it is hence also manifest how God is light to the faithful in obscure darkness, because they see that there is prepared for them an escape from their evils; but they see it at a distance, for they extend their hope beyond the boundaries of this life. As then the truth of God diffuses itself through heaven and earth, so the faithful extend their hope far and wide. Thus it is, that they can see light afar off, which seems to be very remote from them. And having this confidence, the Prophet says, The Lord will bring me into the light. They have, in the meantime, as I have already said, some light; they enjoy a taste of God’s goodness in the midst of their evils: but the Prophet now refers to that coming forth which we ought to look for even in the worst circumstances.
He then adds, I shall see his righteousness By God’s righteousness is to be understood, as it has been elsewhere stated, his favor towards the faithful; not that God returns for their works the salvation which he bestows, as ungodly men foolishly imagine; for they lay hold on the word righteousness, and think that whatever favors God freely grants us are due to our merits. — How so? For God in this way shows his own righteousness. But far different is the reason for this mode of speaking. God, in order to show how dear and precious to him is our salvation, does indeed say, that he designs to give an evidence of his justice in delivering us: but there is a reference in this word righteousness to something else; for God has promised that our salvation shall be the object of his care, hence he appears just whenever he delivers us from our troubles. Then the righteousness of God is not to be referred to the merits of works, but, on the contrary, to the promise by which he has bound himself to us; and so also in the same dense God is often said to be faithful. In a word, the righteousness and faithfulness of God mean the same thing. When the Prophet says now in the person of the Church, I shall see his righteousness, he means, that though God concealed his favor for a time, and withdrew his hand, so that no hope of aid remained, it could not yet be, as he is just, but that he would succor us: I shall see then his righteousness, that is, God will at length really show that he is righteous. It now follows —
(190) Iram, זעף, which means a stormy anger or displeasure, which agitates and raises tempests, and such were the calamities which came on the Jewish nation.
(191) “I shall see the equity of his proceedings concerning me, and the performance of his promises to me.” — Henry.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) I will bear.Micah places himself and his people with confidence in the hands of God. So, too, id David speak when his sin was brought home to him by God: I am in a great strait; let us fall now into the hand of the Lord: for His mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man (2Sa. 24:14). This is the temper of all penitents when stricken by God, or under chastisement from Him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mic 7:9. Because I have sinned against him Because I am about to be his victim, or sacrifice for sin. Nothing is more common in the sacred Scripture, than to denote the expiation of sin by the word cheit. See Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mic 7:9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness.
Ver. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him ] The Church had sinned, and God was angry with her. So Zec 1:12 Isa 57:17 . What mean, then, the Antinomians to tell us that God is never angry with his people for their foul and flagitious practices; no, not with a fatherly anger? nor chastiseth them for the same; no, not so much as with a fatherly chastisement? Is not this contra Solem mingere? Godliness is no target against affliction. Blind Nature saw this.
“ nec te tua plurima, Pantheu,
Labentem texit pietas ” –
Only it helps to patient the heart under affliction by considering, 1. That it is the Lord. 2. That, a man suffers for his sin; as the penitent thief also confessed, Luk 23:41
Until he plead my cause
He will bring me forth to the light
I shall behold his righteousness NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mic 7:9-13
9I will bear the indignation of the Lord
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me.
He will bring me out to the light,
And I will see His righteousness.
10Then my enemy will see,
And shame will cover her who said to me,
‘Where is the LORD your God?’
My eyes will look on her;
At that time she will be trampled down,
Like mire of the streets.
11It will be a day for building your walls.
On that day will your boundary be extended.
12It will be a day when they will come to you
From Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
From Egypt even to the Euphrates,
Even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13And the earth will become desolate because of her inhabitants,
On account of the fruit of their deeds.
Mic 7:9 Because I have sinned against Him Micah (like Moses, Isaiah, and Daniel) acts as a representative of the people. Personal disaster, as well as corporate disaster, is directly related to our individual and corporate rebellion against God (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28)! Many godly Judeans will suffer because of their rebellious society.
Again there is the fluidity between I (NASB) and we (TEV). This prophet is acknowledging the sin of his society (cf. Isaiah 6). Sin is the problem, exile the result, but restoration is the sure hope and promise of God.
Until He pleads my case This legal metaphor is also seen in Mic 6:1-5. In different passages God acts as a prosecuting attorney (e.g., Mic 6:2), a defense attorney (Mic 7:9), as well as judge.
He will bring me out to the light This is a play on God as light in Mic 7:8 line 3. God is light and He brings truth to light. Several times in this context see is used (cf. Mic 7:9 line 5, Mic 7:10 line 3, Mic 7:16 line 1, and also note Psa 17:15; Mat 5:8; Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2; Rev 22:4).
I will see His righteousness God’s character as Righteous Judge is seen in His judicial actions. God’s character as Merciful Father is also seen in His forgiveness and restoration (i.e., forensic justification by grace through faith). He will make good His promises to the faithful remnant and to humanity! This is similar to Job’s statement in Job 19:25-27. See Special Topic: RIGHTEOUSNESS .
Mic 7:10 Then my enemy will see The VERB (BDB 906, KB 1157) is JUSSIVE in form, but IMPERFECT in meaning.
Where is the LORD your God All ancient wars involved the national gods. The Jews were confused in their theology concerning YHWH’s help on behalf of the nations who judged His people (cf. Habakkuk). YHWH used godless nations to bring His rebellious people back to Himself. Yet, He will also judge those nations (i.e., Assyria, Babylon) which He used. At first the Jews would have thought that the gods of these pagan nations were stronger than YHWH, but the reality was that it was their sin (cf. Mic 7:9), not YHWH’s impotence, that caused their demise. YHWH will vindicate His name (cf. Eze 36:22-38) by also judging the invading nations (cf. Mic 7:13).
she will be trampled down,
Like mire of the streets The CONSTRUCT mud of the streets (BDB 376 and 299) is often used as a metaphor of defeat (e.g., 2Sa 22:43; Psa 18:42; Zec 10:5), as is lick the dust in Mic 7:17 (cf. Isa 49:23).
Mic 7:11 This verse seems to refer to the city of Jerusalem, however, the phrase for building your walls (BDB 124 and 154 CONSTRUCT) is not usually used for city walls (cf. Amo 9:11), but for boundary markers (e.g., Isa 54:11). So, the capital may be a metaphor for all the people of God.
The walls of the city was a way of referring to its security. YHWH will restore His people’s land and confidence in Himself.
Mic 7:12 they will come to you There have been three major theories as to how to interpret this verse: (1) the Jews returning home from the Exile; (2) all the nations coming with tribute to the restored people of God; and (3) Israel’s ideal boundaries.
Mic 7:13 On the account of the fruit of their deeds Outside of the Promised Land, there will be judgment and calamity because of the nation’s sins (as there was in Canaan because of Israel’s sin, cf. Mic 7:9). Sin has results (cf. Rom 8:19-22).
indignation. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the punishment which was the result of it.
sinned. Hebrew. chata’. App-44.
behold = look unto.
His righteousness: i.e. His righteous vindication.
bear: Lev 26:41, 1Sa 3:18, 2Sa 16:11, 2Sa 16:12, 2Sa 24:17, Job 34:31, Job 34:32, Lam 1:18, Lam 3:39-42, Luk 15:18, Luk 15:19, Heb 12:6, Heb 12:7
until: 1Sa 24:15, 1Sa 25:39, 1Sa 26:10, Psa 7:6, Psa 43:1, Jer 50:17-20, Jer 50:33, Jer 50:34, Jer 51:35, Jer 51:36, Rev 6:10, Rev 6:11, Rev 18:20
he will: Job 23:10, Psa 37:6, Mal 3:18, 1Co 4:5, 2Th 1:5-10, 2Ti 4:8
Reciprocal: Num 12:15 – till Miriam Jos 22:22 – Israel 2Sa 22:29 – lighten 2Sa 24:10 – I have sinned Neh 2:10 – it grieved Job 11:17 – age Psa 12:5 – now Psa 23:3 – restoreth Psa 35:1 – Plead Psa 62:2 – I shall Psa 65:3 – prevail Psa 94:15 – But Psa 97:11 – Light Psa 112:4 – there ariseth Psa 118:27 – showed Psa 119:154 – Plead Pro 14:19 – General Pro 22:23 – the Lord Isa 9:2 – walked Isa 42:3 – he shall Isa 51:22 – pleadeth Jer 10:19 – Truly Jer 30:15 – Why Jer 51:10 – brought Lam 1:21 – they shall Eze 14:10 – they shall Zep 3:5 – bring Act 12:7 – and a Act 16:39 – came Eph 5:13 – for Rev 2:3 – hast borne
Mic 7:9. This verse represents the attitude that the people of Israel should show with reference to the Lords punishment of them. They should be willing to hear the Indignation because it is just and proper since they have sinned against Him. When the proper time comes God will plead their cause and execute judgment against the enemies who have been In-struments in the Lords hands in administering chastisement upon the disobedient nation. When that time arrives the people of Israel will realize that all of the Lords dealings have been in righteousness.
Micah identified with his people by confessing his guilt (cf. Dan 9:5; Dan 9:8; Dan 9:11; Dan 9:15). Though he had not personally committed the sins that he criticized his fellow Israelites of practicing, as a part of His nation he was with them in their guilt. He would have to bear the consequences of divine discipline as they did. Nevertheless the divine advocate, whom we have seen indicting the Israelites in this book, would come to the prophet’s defense. Micah would not suffer the same amount of punishment as the guilty in the nation. He would eventually come out of his dark circumstances into the light of God’s presence, and he would behold God’s righteousness. That is, he would see God demonstrate his justice and faithfulness to His promises. God will vindicate the faithful.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)