19 Who has no respect for rulers, and who gives no more attention to those who have wealth than to the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, strong in power and greatly to be feared, who has no respect for any man's position and takes no rewards:
Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?
Then Peter said, Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons:
And if you give the name of Father to him who, judging every man by his acts, has no respect for a man's position, then go in fear while you are on this earth:
But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me;
Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
It is good generally for a country where the land is worked to have a king.
Do no wrong in your judging: do not give thought to the position of the poor, or honour to the position of the great; but be a judge to your neighbour in righteousness.
If then, we have a kingdom which will never be moved, let us have grace, so that we may give God such worship as is pleasing to him with fear and respect:
The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all.
Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores. Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;
The kings of the earth have taken their place, and the rulers are fixed in their purpose, against the Lord, and against the king of his selection, saying, Let their chains be broken, and their cords taken from off us. Then he whose seat is in the heavens will be laughing: the Lord will make sport of them.
Will you have respect for God's person in this cause, and put yourselves forward as his supporters?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 34
Commentary on Job 34 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 34
Elihu, it is likely, paused awhile, to see if Job had any thing to say against his discourse in the foregoing chapter; but he sitting silent, and it is likely intimating his desire that he would go on, he here proceeds. And,
All this Job not only bore patiently, but took kindly, because he saw that Elihu meant well; and, whereas his other friends had accused him of that from which his own conscience acquitted him, Elihu charged him with that only for which, it is probable, his own heart, now upon the reflection, began to smite him.
Job 34:1-9
Here,
Job 34:10-15
The scope of Elihu's discourse to reconcile Job to his afflictions and to pacify his spirit under them. In order to this he had shown, in the foregoing chapter, that God meant him no hurt in afflicting him, but intended it for his spiritual benefit. In this chapter he shows that he did him no wrong in afflicting him, nor punished him more than he deserved. If the former could not prevail to satisfy him, yet this ought to silence him. In these verses he directs his discourse to all the company: "Hearken to me, you men of understanding (v. 10), and show yourselves to be intelligent by assenting to this which I say.' And this is that which he says, That the righteous God never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures, but his ways are equal, ours are unequal. The truth here maintained respects the justice of equity of all God's proceedings. Now observe in these verses,
Job 34:16-30
Elihu here addresses himself more directly to Job. He had spoken to the rest (v. 10) as men of understanding; now, speaking to Job; he puts an if upon his understanding: If thou hast understanding, hear this and observe it, v. 16.
Job 34:31-37
In these verses,