Thy Strong Word — Micah 7: Wait for the God of Salvation

The Rev. Dr. Brian Kachelmeier, pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Micah 7.

In this final chapter, the prophet laments the corrupt state of society, and highlights the prevalence of deceit, oppression, and untrustworthiness among people. Amid this darkness, Micah expresses unwavering trust in God’s faithfulness and mercy, encouraging hope in divine redemption. The chapter contrasts the flaws of humanity with the constancy of God’s character, emphasizing His forgiveness and ability to restore. It ultimately ends on a note of assurance, expressing confidence in God’s eventual vindication and His promise to shepherd His people with compassion, leading them to a place of restoration and prosperity.

Micah, one of the few prophets of his time still faithful to God in Israel, rebukes the societal injustices of the Israelites and pronounces judgment on the wickedness of the religious and political leaders of the time. Notably, Micah is the prophet who foretells that the future messianic ruler will be born in Bethlehem. Jesus not only fulfilled that prophecy, but he embodies Micah’s call for justice, mercy, and humility, bringing restoration and reconciliation through his life, death, and resurrection.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Micah 7

Wait for the God of Salvation

7 Woe is me! For I have become
    as when the summer fruit has been gathered,
    as when the grapes have been gleaned:
there is no cluster to eat,
    no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.
²The godly has perished from the earth,
    and there is no one upright among mankind;
they all lie in wait for blood,
    and each hunts the other with a net.
³Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well;
    the prince and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;
    thus they weave it together.
⁴The best of them is like a brier,
    the most upright of them a thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come;
    now their confusion is at hand.
⁵Put no trust in a neighbor;
    have no confidence in a friend;
guard the doors of your mouth
    from her who lies in your arms;^[a]
⁶for the son treats the father with contempt,
    the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
    a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
⁷But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
    I will wait for the God of my salvation;
    my God will hear me.

⁸Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
    when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be a light to me.
⁹I will bear the indignation of the Lord
    because I have sinned against him,
until he pleads my cause
    and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
    I shall look upon his vindication.
¹⁰Then my enemy will see,
    and shame will cover her who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will look upon her;
    now she will be trampled down
    like the mire of the streets.

¹¹A day for the building of your walls!
    In that day the boundary shall be far extended.
¹²In that day they^[b] will come to you,
    from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
and from Egypt to the River,^[c]
    from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.
¹³But the earth will be desolate
    because of its inhabitants,
    for the fruit of their deeds.

¹⁴Shepherd your people with your staff,
    the flock of your inheritance,
who dwell alone in a forest
    in the midst of a garden land;^[d]
let them graze in Bashan and Gilead
    as in the days of old.
¹⁵As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
    I will show them^[e] marvelous things.
¹⁶The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might;
they shall lay their hands on their mouths;
    their ears shall be deaf;
¹⁷they shall lick the dust like a serpent,
    like the crawling things of the earth;
they shall come trembling out of their strongholds;
    they shall turn in dread to the Lord our God,
    and they shall be in fear of you.

God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion

¹⁸Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity
    and passing over transgression
    for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger forever,
    because he delights in steadfast love.
¹⁹He will again have compassion on us;
    he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our^[f] sins
    into the depths of the sea.
²⁰You will show faithfulness to Jacob
    and steadfast love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers
    from the days of old.

Footnotes

Micah 7:5 Hebrew bosom
Micah 7:12 Hebrew he
Micah 7:12 That is, the Euphrates
Micah 7:14 Hebrew of Carmel
Micah 7:15 Hebrew him
Micah 7:19 Hebrew their

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.