Micah 6:8: do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy God

1605–1610 · Johann Arndt, True Christianity 1.26

Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?—He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Micah 6:6-8. 2. By this question, and the answer to it, the prophet teaches us, wherein the true worship of God properly consists; not in ceremonies and sacrifices, since we are not able to give anything to God, because all is his own already; not in offering up human sacrifices, which he does not require at our hands, but detests and abhors, because they are injurious to Jesus Christ, the great propitiatory oblation which God appointed to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29): but the true worship of God consists in pure faith, which, from the visible effect of it, the prophet here describes, by “doing justly,” that is by the exercise of faith in righteousness, in charity and mercy, (which is more pleasing than all sacrifices); and in true humility and contrition, as it is said: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

1646–1690 · John Owen, Sermons of John Owen p2.9

Whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices were then the instituted worship of God, appointed by him, and acceptable to him, as are the things which I now repeated. But all these outward things may be counterfeited, — hypocrites may perform the outward work of them, as they then offered sacrifice; but walking humbly with God cannot: nor are they, in the best of men, of any value, but as they are parts and fruits of humble walking. If in and under the performance of them there be, as there may be, a proud, unmortified heart, — not subdued to the law of the Spirit of life, — not humbled in all things to walk with God; both they and their performance are abhorred of God. So that, though these things ought to be done, yet our great concernment lies, as to the main, in humble walking: “Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel.” This is the import of the expression at the beginning of the verse, — “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee?” Thou mayest cast about in thy thoughts to other things, wherein either thyself may be more delighted, or, as thou supposest, may be more acceptable to God. Be not mistaken; this is the great thing that he requires of thee, — to walk humbly with him.

1710–1714 · Matthew Henry, Commentary on Matthew 23.13-33

Judgment and mercy toward men, and faith toward God, are the weightier matters of the law, the good things which the Lord our God requires (Mic. vi. 8); to do justly, and love mercy, and humble ourselves by faith to walk with God.

1726 · Joseph Butler, Fifteen Sermons Preached at the Rolls Chapel 7

O man, what is good: And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Here is a good man expressly characterized, as distinct from a dishonest and a superstitious man. No words can more strongly exclude dishonesty and falseness of heart, than doing justice and loving mercy. And both these as well as walking humbly with thy God, are put in opposition to those ceremonial methods of recommendation, which Balak hoped might have served the turn.

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 5 101

“What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” It was usual among the Jews to reduce all the duties of religion to these three heads: justice, mercy, and piety; under the first two, comprehending the duties which we owe to one another; and, under the third, the duties which we owe to God.

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 5 103

So likewise, in the prophet Hosea, God plainly prefers the moral before the ritual part of religion, as that which was principally designed and intended by him: (Hos. vi. 6.) “I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings; “but most plainly and expressly, (Mic. vi. 6.) “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, and ten thousand of rivers of oil? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

1871 · A. R. Fausset, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on Micah 6.8

Two duties towards man are specified—justice, or strict equity; and mercy, or a kindly abatement of what we might justly demand, and a hearty desire to do good to others. to walk humbly with thy God—passive and active obedience towards God. The three moral duties here are summed up by our Lord (Mt 23:23), "judgment, mercy, and faith" (in Lu 11:42, "the love of God"). Compare Jas 1:27. To walk with God implies constant prayer and watchfulness, familiar yet "humble" converse with God (Ge 5:24; 17:1).

1871 · David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on Matthew 23.23

Our Lord purposely names the most trifling products of the earth as examples of what they punctiliously exacted the tenth of. and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith—In Luke (Lu 11:42) it is "judgment, mercy, and the love of God"—the expression being probably varied by our Lord Himself on the two different occasions. In both His reference is to Mic 6:6-8, where the prophet makes all acceptable religion to consist of three elements—"doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God"; which third element presupposes and comprehends both the "faith" of Matthew and the "love" of Luke.

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

No, but He says "What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?" It seems, then, that it is far more important to do right than to perform the most imposing religious rites—better to act mercifully than to offer the most costly sacrifices. Much more value is attached to a man's moral character than to all his outward religiousness, however far he may carry it.

1891 · Andrew Murray, The New Life: Words of God for Young Disciples 17

The word of Micah teaches us that the fruit of the salvation of God is seen chiefly in three things. The new life must be characterized, in my relation to God and His will, by righteousness and doing right; in my relation to my neighbour, by love and beneficence; in relation to myself, by humility and lowliness.

1893 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 39 (1893) 2328

Only through faith in Christ does a man learn to do righteously, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God—and only by the power of the Holy Spirit sanctifying us to that end do we fulfill these three Divine requirements. These we fulfill perfectly in our desire—we would be holy as God is holy if we could live as our heart aspires to live—we would always do righteously, we would always love mercy and we would always walk humbly with God.

1905–1910 · Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: Micah 6.8

Another misuse of the words of my text is by no means uncommon to-day. One has heard people say, ‘We are plain men; we do not understand your theological subtleties; we do not quite see what you mean by “Repentance toward God, and faith in Jesus Christ.” “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God,” that is my religion, and I leave all the rest to you.’ That is our religion too, but notice that word ‘require.’ It is a harsh word, and if it is the last word to be said about God’s relation to men, then a great shadow has fallen upon life. But there is another word which Micah but dimly caught uttered amidst the thunders of Sinai, and which you and I have heard far more clearly. The Prophet read off rightly God’s requirements, but he had not anything to say about God’s gifts. So his word is a half-truth, and the more clearly it is seen, and the more earnestly a man tries to live up to the standard of the requirements laid down here, the more will he feel that there is something else needed, and the more will he see that the great central peculiarity and glory of Christianity is not that it reiterates or alters God’s requirements, but that it brings into view God’s gifts. ‘To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God,’ is possible only through repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And if you suppose that these words of my text disclose the whole truth about God’s relation to men, and men’s to God, you have failed to apprehend the flaming centre of the Light that shines from heaven.

1646–1690 · John Owen, Sermons of John Owen p2.9

When the world shall see a poor, proud, selfish, rebellious, forward, perhaps dissolute and debauched creature, made gentle, meek, humble, self-denying, sober, useful, — they cannot but inquire after the secret and hidden virtue and power which principled such a change. This is given as the glory of the grace that was to be administered under the gospel, — that it should change the nature of the vilest men; — that it should take away cruelty from the wolf, and violence from the leopard, rage from the lion, and poison from the asp, — making them gentle and useful as the kid and the calf, the cow and the ox, Isa. xi. 6–9. It is not in our nature to humble ourselves to walk with God; we have an opposition to it and all parts of it: no angels or men can persuade us to it. Our carnal mind is enmity to him, not subject to his law, — nor can be. To have our souls humbled, brought to the foot of God, made always ready, willing, obedient, turned in their whole course, changed in all their ways and principles; — this glorifies the grace of God which is dispensed in Christ; by which alone it is that the work is wrought.

1655–1662 · William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour Part 17. DIRECTION SIXTH. The Several Pieces of the Whole Armour of God. Second Piece—The

O soul! if thou wouldst be holy, learn to be humble. They are clasped together, ‘What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’ Micah 6:8. And how that he that trusts in his own holiness should be said to walk humbly, it cannot enter into our heart to conceive.

1712 · Matthew Henry, Commentary on Micah 6.6-8

We must walk humbly with our God. This includes all the duties of the first table, as the two former include all the duties of the second table. We must take the Lord for our God in covenant, must attend on him and adhere to him as ours, and must make it our constant care and business to please him.

1712 · Matthew Henry, Commentary on Micah 6.6-8

We must, in the whole course of our conversation, conform ourselves to the will of God, keep up our communion with God, and study to approve ourselves to him in our integrity; and this we must do humbly (submitting our understandings to the truths of God and our will to his precepts and providences); we must humble ourselves to walk with God (so the margin reads it); every thought within us must be brought down, to be brought into obedience to God, if we would walk comfortably with him. This is that which God requires, and without which the most costly services are vain oblations; this is more than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

1746 · Jonathan Edwards, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections 3.12

Practice is the proper evidence of humility. That expression, and manifestation of humility of heart, which God speaks of, as the great expression of it, that he insists on; that we should look upon as the proper expression and manifestation of it: but this is walking humbly. Micah 6:8, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

1860–1870 · Edward Bouverie Pusey, Notes on the Bible: Micah 6.8

Praise God in what is good in thee; accuse thyself in what is evil. So shalt thou anticipate the judgment of God, as He saith, "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord" Co1 11:31. He addeth, love mercy; being merciful, out of love, "not of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver" Co2 9:7. These acts together contain the whole duty to man, corresponding with and formed upon the mercy and justice of God Psa 101:1; Psa 61:7. All which is due, anyhow or in any way, is of judgment; all which is free toward man, although not free toward God, is of mercy. There remains, walk humbly with thy God; not, bow thyself only before Him, as they had offered Mic 6:6, nor again walk with Him only, as did Enoch, Noah Abraham, Job; but walk humbly (literally, bow down the going) yet still with thy God; never lifting up thyself, never sleeping, never standing still, but ever walking on, yet ever casting thyself down; and the more thou goest on in grace, the more cast thyself down; as our Lord saith, "When ye have done all these things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" Luk 17:10.

1872 · John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions 67

But meantime we should take the utmost care to walk humbly and closely with our God. Walk humbly: For if you in anywise rob God of his honor, if you ascribe anything to yourself, the things which should have been for your wealth will prove to you an “occasion of falling.”

1905–1910 · Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: Micah 6.8

Some people would say that this summary of the divine requirements is defective, because there is nothing in it about a man’s duty to himself, which is as much a duty as his duty to his fellows, or his duty to God. But there is a good deal of my duty to myself crowded into that one word, ‘humbly.’ For I suppose we might almost say that the basis of all our obligations to our own selves lies in this, that we shall take the right view—that is, the lowly view—of ourselves.

1905–1910 · Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: Micah 6.8

‘Can two walk together unless they be agreed?’ For walking with God there must be communion, based in love, and resulting in imitation. And that communion must be constant, and run through all the life, like a golden thread through some web. So, then, here is the minimum of the divine requirements, to give everybody what he has a right to, including the mercy to which he has a right, to have a lowly estimate of myself, and to live continually grasping the hand of God, and conscious of His overshadowing wing at all moments, and of conformity to His will at every step of the road. That is the minimum; and the people who so glibly say, ‘That is my religion,’ have little consciousness of how far-reaching and how deep-down-going the requirements of this text are. The requirements result from the very nature of God, and our relation to Him, and they are endorsed by our own consciences, for we all know that these, and nothing less than these are the duties that we owe to God.

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

We must always have lowly views of ourselves before God in regard to matters of Grace and it should be the same in reference to His Providence. For instance, if one of you shall have been much tried in business and have lost much money—suppose you are angry with God and quarrel with Him about it—is that walking humbly with Him? When we complain at the loss of children or friends, is not that the pride of our heart? To walk humbly with God would lead you to say, "It is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him!" But a proud heart virtually cries, "God shall do as I like, or else He shall have no obedience from me! He shall always use His right hand and pour into my lap all that I desire, or else we will part company."

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

I do not prescribe to any man that he should try to walk humbly with his fellow man, for without great watchfulness his spirit may glide into meanness and he may lose conscientiousness in a desire to please. But if he will aim at walking humbly with God, he will get into such a proper spirit that he will be in his right position towards all his surroundings below and above—and his life will be such as will commend itself both to God and men. Thus I have tried to show, while explaining what was meant by walking humbly with our God, that it is a thing most excellent in itself.

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

You can tell, dear Friend, not only whether you are saved, but afterwards, whether your new life is in a growing state, by examining whether you are walking humbly with God. Let me dwell upon that matter for a minute. We are healthy in soul if we have lowly views in reference to ourselves upon matters of Divine Grace.

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

To walk humbly with God is to feel, "If ever such a poor, condemned soul as I am shall be saved, it must be by an act of free and Sovereign mercy, for if Justice has its way apart from mercy I am driven forever into the darkness of despair." I am come to this pass, myself—that if salvation is at all of myself—if any merit is required of me, though it is as little as the small dust of the balance, or the drop that trembles in the bucket after it is turned upside down, I cannot find it. Grace must save me or I am lost! When the soul has come to that pass, it is walking humbly with God.

1880 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 26 (1880) 1557

It means being with Him in the shop, with Him in the kitchen, with Him in the field, feeling His Presence in buying and selling, in weighing and measuring, in plowing and reaping—doing as unto the Lord the most common acts of life. This it is which is acceptable with the Most High and this is the man who has gotten into a right condition before His Maker—the man who "walks" with His God! Then comes in the qualifying word of, "humbly," about which we have to speak most at this time. It was necessary to remind you of the other matters first. God must be recognized as always present, appropriated as our God and felt to be a power in all our life or else there can be no humble walking with Him. You must have the verb or there is no sense in the adverb—you must walk before there is any sense in the exhortation to walk humbly.

1893 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 39 (1893) 2328

Only to lie at His feet!" Then it is, when walking humbly with our God in service, that He will fill us and make us strong. Next, walk humbly with God in all your aims. When you are seeking after anything, mind what your motive is. Even if it is the best thing, seek it only for God. If any man, or any woman, tries to work in the Sunday school, or if anyone preaches in the open-air, or in the House of God with a view of being somebody, with the idea of being thought to be a very admirable, zealous Brother or Sister, then let this word come into your ears—"Walk humbly with your God."

1893 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 39 (1893) 2328

It is all very fine to have a lot of humility packed away in a box with which to perfume your prayers and then to come out and to be, "My Lord," and some very great one in the midst of the Church and in the world. This will never do! It is not said, "Bow humbly before God now and then." But as a regular, constant thing, "Walk humbly with your God." It is not, "Bow your head like the bulrush under some conscious fault which you cannot deny," but, in the brightness of your purity and the clearness of your holiness, still keep your heart in lowly reverence bowing before the Throne of God! Once more, only, and then we will quit this part of the subject—the humility that is here prescribed includes delightful confidence.

1893 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 39 (1893) 2328

Next, I do not think that it is far-fetched if I say that this humility denotes progress. The man is to walk—and that is progress—advancing. "Walk humbly." I am not to be so humble that I feel that I cannot do any more, or enjoy any more, or be any better—they call that humility—but it begins with an "S" in English and the full word is SLOTH. "I cannot be as believing, as bold, as useful as such a man is." You are not told to be humble and sit still, but to be humble and walk with God!

1893 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 39 (1893) 2328

You wear a much better coat than you used to come here in, but do not begin to think yourself a mighty fine gentleman! Now you get into very good society, you say, but do not be ashamed to come to the Prayer Meeting along with the Lord's poor—and to sit next to one who has not had a new coat for many a day. "Walk humbly with your God," or else it may be that He will take you down a notch or two and bring you back to your old poverty—and then what will you say to yourself for your folly? Next, walk humbly with God under great trials. When you are brought very low, do not kick against the pricks.