17 Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean. 18 O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place! 19 Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high. 20 My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping, 21 So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour. 22 For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 16:17-22
Commentary on Job 16:17-22
(Read Job 16:17-22)
Job's condition was very deplorable; but he had the testimony of his conscience for him, that he never allowed himself in any gross sin. No one was ever more ready to acknowledge sins of infirmity. Eliphaz had charged him with hypocrisy in religion, but he specifies prayer, the great act of religion, and professes that in this he was pure, though not from all infirmity. He had a God to go to, who he doubted not took full notice of all his sorrows. Those who pour out tears before God, though they cannot plead for themselves, by reason of their defects, have a Friend to plead for them, even the Son of man, and on him we must ground all our hopes of acceptance with God. To die, is to go the way whence we shall not return. We must all of us, very certainly, and very shortly, go this journey. Should not then the Saviour be precious to our souls? And ought we not to be ready to obey and to suffer for his sake? If our consciences are sprinkled with his atoning blood, and testify that we are not living in sin or hypocrisy, when we go the way whence we shall not return, it will be a release from prison, and an entrance into everlasting happiness.