The prevalence of sin the source of grief to the good.
I. THE FACT. The good in all ages have mourned over sin and its consequences (Psalms 119:136; Jeremiah 9:1; Luke 19:41, Luke 19:42). In Micah 1:8 we have pictured to us the distress of one thoroughly noble and good, true and patriotic, occasioned by the prevailing ungodliness and the calamities of which he had to speak. With a vivid sense of the evils of the times and of the coming judgments, this prophet (as others before him) flung aside his mantle and went about beating his breast, and pouring forth wild shrieks and lamentations. By "the dragons" is meant "the jackals," and by "the owls" is intended "the ostriches." Of the former we read, "The jackals make a lamentable howling noise, so that travellers unacquainted with them would think that a company of people, women or children, were howling one to another" (Pococke). And of the latter, another writes, "During the lonesome part of the night they often make a doleful and piteous noise. I have often heard them groan as if they were in the greatest agonies" (Shaw's 'Travels'). So that when the prophet speaks of making "a wailing like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches," he intimates that he would give way to the intensity of grief and distress, in view of the prevailing iniquity and its prospective punishment.
II. THE CAUSES. This grief arises from:
1. Regard for the honour of that holy and perfect Being against whom all sin is directed.
2. Esteem for his pure and holy Law, of which Law all sin is a violation.
3. Love of righteousness.
4. Deep compassion for those who are thus led captive by evil.
III. THE LIMITATIONS. The manifestation of this grief should be restrained when its expression would furnish occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme (Micah 1:10). Quoting the expression from David's elegy, "Tell it not in Gath," Micah bids the good, "weeping to weep not," the idea being that prudence should mark them even in their sorrow over sin; that a restraint should be placed by them even upon their mourning over the prevailing evil, rather than by their demonstrations of sorrow they should cause the adversaries of God and of his people to blaspheme and triumph. We should be prepared to endure much, instead of, by giving way, presenting an advantage to the foes of God, and furnishing them with the opportunity of pouring contempt upon his Name.