John Trapp on Micah 5:1

CHAP. V.

Ver. 1. NOw gather thy ſelf in troopes, O daughter of troopes] Here the Virgin, the daughter of Zion deſpiſeth her adverſaries of Aſſyria and Babylon, and laughes them to ſcorn: the daughter of Ieruſalem ſhaketh her head at them Iſa. 37.22. and bearing her ſelf bold upon the foregoing promiſe (chap. 4.13.) that ſhe ſhould beat in peeces many people, ſhe taketh liberty to taunt the Aſſyrian Monarch with all his troopes beleaguering her, and baſely abuſing her Judges: telling him, that the Babe of Bethlehem would ſhortly take an order with him. And although ſhe were but a Virgin, yet, having ſuch a Champion as Chriſt, who is in love with her, that will take her part and fight her quarrell, ſhe doubteth not to ſay, Now gather thy ſelf in troopes &c. Nunc turmatim coito, ô turmaria, Increaſe thine army and come forth, Gather your ſelves and ye ſhall be broken in peeces, gird your ſelves, and ye ſhall be broken in peeces. Take counſel together, Iſai. 8.9, 10. Iſai. 33.22. and it ſhall come to naught: ſpeak the word and it ſhall not ſtand, for God is with us, Jehovah is our Juge, Jehovah is our Champion, Jehovah is our king, he will ſave us. Lo, this is the Churches confident boaſting in Chriſt, this is the triumph of her, truſt in him.Pſal. 32.7. The thought of his birth ſwalloweth up all her fears and diſcontents; and compaſſeth her about with ſongs of deliverance.

He hath laid ſiege againſt us,] And already devoured us in his hopes: but if we do but turne us to Chriſt, and ſay, Behold ſhe whom thou loveſt is diſtreſſed: the Aſſyrian as a ſtrong river is come up over all his channels, and reacheth even to the neck: yea the ſtretching out of his wings filleth the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, Eſay 8.7, 8. he will ſoon beſtir himſelf, he will beſiege our beſiegers, he will ſmite them upon the cheek-bone,Pſal. 3.7. and break the teeth of thoſe ungodly, that ſmot the Judge of Iſrael with a rod upon the cheek, for a reproach to the whole people. Hugo, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Bacillis ceciderunt. Beza. by this Iudge of Iſrael, underſtandeth Chriſt, who was indeed at his paſſion contumeliouſly buffetted, and ſmitten with rods upon the cheek, Mat. 20.6, 7. But this, though it be true, yet cannot be the ſence of this text.