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1 Then Iob answered, and said,
2 I know it is so of a trueth: but howe should man be iust with God.
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answere him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mightie in strength: who hath hardened himselfe against him, and hath prospered?
5 Which remoueth the mountains, and they know not: which ouerturneth them in his anger:
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, & the pillars thereof tremble:
7 Which commandeth the Sunne, and it riseth not: and sealeth vp the starres.
8 Which alone spreadeth out the heauens, and treadeth vpon the waues of the Sea.
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out, yea and wonders without number.
11 Loe, hee goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceiue him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say vnto him, What doest thou?
13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe stoupe vnder him.
14 How much lesse shall I answere him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
16 If I had called, and had answered me, yet would I not beleeue that he had hearkened vnto my voice:
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 Hee will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
19 If I speake of strength, loe, hee is strong: and if of iudgement, who shall set me a time to pleade?
20 If I iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne me: If I say, I am perfect, it shall also prooue me peruerse.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soule: I would despise my life.
22 This is one thing, therefore I said it; he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, hee will laugh at the triall of the innocent.
24 The earth is giuen into the hand of the wicked: he couereth the faces of the Iudges thereof; if not, where, and who is hee?
25 Now my dayes are swifter then a Poste: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They are passed away as the ships: as the Eagle that hasteth to the pray.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leaue off my heauinesse, and comfort my selfe.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrowes, I know that thou wilt not holde me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vaine?
30 If I wash my selfe with snow water, and make my handes neuer so cleane:
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me.
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I should answere him, and we should come together in iudgement.
33 Neither is there any dayes-man betwixt vs, that might lay his hand vpon vs both.
34 Let him take his rodde away from me, & let not his feare terrifie me:
35 Then would I speake, and not feare him; but it is not so with me.
Job acknowledges God's justice. (1-13) He is not able to contend with God. (14-21) Men not to be judged by outward condition. (22-24) Job complains of troubles. (25-35)1-13 In this answer Job declared that he did not doubt the justice of God, when he denied himself to be a hypocrite; for how should man be just with God? Before him he pleaded guilty of sins more than could be counted; and if God should contend with him in judgment, he could not justify one out of a thousand, of all the thoughts, words, and actions of his life; therefore he deserved worse than all his present sufferings. When Job mentions the wisdom and power of God, he forgets his complaints. We are unfit to judge of God's proceedings, because we know not what he does, or what he designs. God acts with power which no creature can resist. Those who think they have strength enough to help others, will not be able to help themselves against it.
14-21 Job is still righteous in his own eyes, ch. #32:1|, and this answer, though it sets forth the power and majesty of God, implies that the question between the afflicted and the Lord of providence, is a question of might, and not of right; and we begin to discover the evil fruits of pride and of a self-righteous spirit. Job begins to manifest a disposition to condemn God, that he may justify himself, for which he is afterwards reproved. Still Job knew so much of himself, that he durst not stand a trial. If we say, We have no sin, we not only deceive ourselves, but we affront God; for we sin in saying so, and give the lie to the Scripture. But Job reflected on God's goodness and justice in saying his affliction was without cause.
22-24 Job touches briefly upon the main point now in dispute. His friends maintained that those who are righteous and good, always prosper in this world, and that none but the wicked are in misery and distress: he said, on the contrary, that it is a common thing for the wicked to prosper, and the righteous to be greatly afflicted. Yet there is too much passion in what Job here says, for God doth not afflict willingly. When the spirit is heated with dispute or with discontent, we have need to set a watch before our lips.
25-35 What little need have we of pastimes, and what great need to redeem time, when it runs on so fast towards eternity! How vain the enjoyments of time, which we may quite lose while yet time continues! The remembrance of having done our duty will be pleasing afterwards; so will not the remembrance of having got worldly wealth, when it is all lost and gone. Job's complaint of God, as one that could not be appeased and would not relent, was the language of his corruption. There is a Mediator, a Daysman, or Umpire, for us, even God's own beloved Son, who has purchased peace for us with the blood of his cross, who is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through him. If we trust in his name, our sins will be buried in the depths of the sea, we shall be washed from all our filthiness, and made whiter than snow, so that none can lay any thing to our charge. We shall be clothed with the robes of righteousness and salvation, adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit, and presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. May we learn the difference between justifying ourselves, and being thus justified by God himself. Let the tempest-tossed soul consider Job, and notice that others have passed this dreadful gulf; and though they found it hard to believe that God would hear or deliver them, yet he rebuked the storm, and brought them to the desired haven. Resist the devil; give not place to hard thoughts of God, or desperate conclusions about thyself. Come to Him who invites the weary and heavy laden; who promises in nowise to cast them out.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.