Psalms 31:20

31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks ¹  of men; ² 

you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. ³ 

Isaiah 54:17

54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;

you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. ⁴ 

This is what the Lord will do for his servants –

I will vindicate them,” ⁵ 

says the Lord.

Micah 7:8-9

Jerusalem Will Be Vindicated

7:8 My enemies, ⁶  do not gloat ⁷  over me!

Though I have fallen, I will get up.

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ⁸ 

7:9 I must endure ⁹  the Lord’s anger,

for I have sinned against him.

But then ¹⁰  he will defend my cause, ¹¹ 

and accomplish justice on my behalf.

He will lead me out into the light;

I will experience firsthand ¹²  his deliverance. ¹³ 

Micah 7:1

Micah Laments Judah’s Sin

7:1 I am depressed! ¹⁴ 

Indeed, ¹⁵  it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered,

and the grapes have been harvested. ¹⁶ 

There is no grape cluster to eat,

no fresh figs that I crave so much. ¹⁷ 

Colossians 4:5

4:5 Conduct yourselves ¹⁸  with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities.

[31:20]  ¹ tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”

[31:20]  ² tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.

[31:20]  ³ tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”

[54:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “and every tongue that rises up for judgment with you will prove to be guilty.”

[54:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me.”

[7:8]  ⁶ tn The singular form is understood as collective.

[7:8]  ⁷ tn Or “rejoice” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “don’t laugh at me.”

[7:8]  ⁸ sn Darkness represents judgment; light (also in v. 9) symbolizes deliverance. The Lord is the source of the latter.

[7:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “lift, bear.”

[7:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “until.”

[7:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”

[7:9]  ¹² tn Heb “see.”

[7:9]  ¹³ tn Or “justice, vindication.”

[7:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “woe to me!” In light of the image that follows, perhaps one could translate, “I am disappointed.”

[7:1]  ¹⁵ tn Or “for.”

[7:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “I am like the gathering of the summer fruit, like the gleanings of the harvest.” Micah is not comparing himself to the harvested fruit. There is an ellipsis here, as the second half of the verse makes clear. The idea is, “I am like [one at the time] the summer fruit is gathered and the grapes are harvested.”

[7:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “my appetite craves.”

[4:5]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “walk.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is a common NT idiom for one’s lifestyle, behavior, or manner of conduct (L&N 41.11).