23 The Mighty! we have not found Him out, High in power and judgment, He doth not answer! And abundant in righteousness,
who only is having immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable, whom no one of men did see, nor is able to see, to whom `is' honour and might age-during! Amen.
And the strength of the king Hath loved judgment, Thou -- Thou hast established uprightness; Judgment and righteousness in Jacob, Thou -- Thou hast done.
Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
The whole He hath made beautiful in its season; also, that knowledge He hath put in their heart without which man findeth not out the work that God hath done from the beginning even unto the end.
for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;
`And mayest Thou not lead us to temptation, but deliver us from the evil, because Thine is the reign, and the power, and the glory -- to the ages. Amen.
For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And turn ye back and live!
For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness. For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men.
In all their distress `He is' no adversary, And the messenger of His presence saved them, In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, And He doth lift them up, And beareth them all the days of old.
Doth God pervert judgment? And doth the Mighty One pervert justice?
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know. Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What `is' His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
Jehovah hath reigned, Excellency He hath put on, Jehovah put on strength, He girded Himself, Also -- established is the world, unmoved.
Say to God, `How fearful `are' Thy works, By the abundance of Thy strength, Thine enemies feign obedience to Thee.
Once hath God spoken, twice I heard this, That `strength `is' with God.'
O Jehovah, in the heavens `is' Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness `is' unto the clouds. Thy righteousness `is' as mountains of God, Thy judgments `are' a great deep. Man and beast Thou savest, O Jehovah. How precious `is' Thy kindness, O God, And the sons of men In the shadow of Thy wings do trust.
Let us know what we say to Him, We set not in array because of darkness.
Lo, God `is' high, And we know not the number of His years, Yea, there `is' no searching.
Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company, And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth. His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me. They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves. God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over. At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark. Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall. He breaketh me -- breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one. Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn. My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids `is' death-shade. Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer `is' pure.
With Him `are' wisdom and might, To him `are' counsel and understanding.
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.