1 Yea, at this my heart trembleth, And is moved out of its place.
2 Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice, And the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
3 He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, And his lightening unto the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roareth; He thundereth with the voice of his majesty; And he restraineth not `the lightnings' when his voice is heard.
5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth; Likewise to the shower of rain, And to the showers of his mighty rain.
7 He sealeth up the hand of every man, That all men whom he hath made may know `it'.
8 Then the beasts go into coverts, And remain in their dens.
9 Out of the chamber `of the south' cometh the storm, And cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given; And the breadth of the waters is straitened.
11 Yea, he ladeth the thick cloud with moisture; He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his lightning:
12 And it is turned round about by his guidance, That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them Upon the face of the habitable world,
13 Whether it be for correction, or for his land, Or for lovingkindness, that he cause it to come.
14 Hearken unto this, O Job: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know how God layeth `his charge' upon them, And causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments are warm, When the earth is still by reason of the south `wind'?
18 Canst thou with him spread out the sky, Which is strong as a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; `For' we cannot set `our speech' in order by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
21 And now men see not the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind passeth, and cleareth them.
22 Out of the north cometh golden splendor: God hath upon him terrible majesty.
23 `Touching' the Almighty, we cannot find him out He is excellent in power; And in justice and plenteous righteousness he will not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him: He regardeth not any that are wise of heart.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 37
Commentary on Job 37 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 37
Elihu here goes on to extol the wonderful power of God in the meteors and all the changes of the weather: if, in those changes, we submit to the will of God, take the weather as it is and make the best of it, why should we not do so in other changes of our condition? Here he observes the hand of God,
Job 37:1-5
Thunder and lightning, which usually go together, are sensible indications of the glory and majesty, the power and terror, of Almighty God, one to the ear and the other to the eye; in these God leaves not himself without witness of his greatness, as, in the rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, he leaves not himself without witness of his goodness (Acts 14:17), even to the most stupid and unthinking. Though there are natural causes and useful effects of them, which the philosophers undertake to account for, yet they seem chiefly designed by the Creator to startle and awaken the slumbering world of mankind to the consideration of a God above them. The eye and the ear are the two learning senses; and therefore, though such a circumstance is possible, they say it was never known in fact that any one was born both blind and deaf. By the word of God divine instructions are conveyed to the mind through the ear, by his works through the eye; but, because those ordinary sights and sounds do not duly affect men, God is pleased sometimes to astonish men by the eye with his lightnings and by the ear with his thunder. It is very probable that at this time, when Elihu was speaking, it thundered and lightened, for he speaks of the phenomena as present; and, God being about to speak (ch. 38:1), these were, as afterwards on Mount Sinai, the proper prefaces to command attention and awe. Observe here,
Job 37:6-13
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to God the director of them, who shows his power and serves the purposes of his providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of God, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise. As,
Job 37:14-20
Elihu here addresses himself closely to Job, desiring him to apply what he had hitherto said to himself. He begs that he would hearken to this discourse (v. 14), that he would pause awhile: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. What we hear is not likely to profit us unless we consider it, and we are not likely to consider things fully unless we stand still and compose ourselves to the consideration of them. The works of God, being wondrous, both deserve and need our consideration, and the due consideration of them will help to reconcile us to all his providences. Elihu, for the humbling of Job, shows him,
Job 37:21-24
Elihu here concludes his discourse with some short but great sayings concerning the glory of God, as that which he was himself impressed, and desired to impress others, with a holy awe of. He speaks concisely, and in haste, because, it should seem, he perceived that God was about to take the work into his own hands.