Micah 7:18

Lest what hath been spoken of this wonderful change in the affairs of the Jews should on one hand be thought to be made for the righteousness or worthiness of this people, or else on the other hand should seem too great to be done for a sinful people, and so any should doubt whether it should be done at all, the prophet, in this and the two following verses, proposeth the ground of all this, laid on the unparalleled grace of God toward his people, who pardoneth their unrighteousness, and then of free mercy delivers them from their afflictions and distresses, changing their darkness into light. Who is a God like unto thee? some observe that El here used signifieth the mighty God, and so render it thus, the French, le Dieu fort; none but the sovereign, mighty God can or doth forgive iniquity, it is a flower of the crown of Heaven, Exodus 34:6,7 Num 14:18 Mark 2:7. This interrogatory and admiration is a strong negation. Pardoneth iniquity; taketh away the guilt and punishment too by his pardon. Passeth by; a from of speech used amongst us when we promise not to pursue an offence, or not to exact the punishment of it, or as if we either saw it not, or voluntarily winked at it, being resolved that we would not make it a cause of quarrel or breach. Transgression: it will not suit our brevity to inquire the difference between iniquity and transgression, or whether they are here synonymous. and explicatory of each other; God passeth by the forfeits we make, and strips us not of our mercies. Of the remnant of his heritage: this intimateth the reason why God doth, as well as to the person to whom he doth, pardon sin; that grace which made them his heritage, and reserved them to himself in the common destruction, the same grace doth as freely pardon and pass by, that it may do them good. No worthiness in them to whom it is done, and yet greatest certainty it shall be done, as Romans 4:16. He retaineth not his anger for ever; though in his just displeasure God did send them into captivity, yet because he doth not retain his anger for ever, their captivity shall not be for ever, he will chastise his remnant, but not consume them, Malachi 1:3. Because he delighteth in mercy; all from the exceeding riches of his mercy; it is his delight to show mercy, and we need inquire no further: our God is so wonderfully merciful that it is his pleasure to show mercy, and if a man sometimes may give this as a reason why he doth a thing, surely our God may well expect that we should acquiesce in this account of his doing so. He delighteth to do it, Psalms 103:8,9 Isa 43:25 57:16 Jeremiah 3:5,1, 2 Kings 4:11.