19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
19 If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
19 If it's a question of who's stronger, he wins, hands down! If it's a question of justice, who'll serve him the subpoena?
19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
19 If it's a question of strength, he's the strong one. If it's a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?
34 someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.
34 To break God's death grip on me, to free me from this terror so I could breathe again.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
34 The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
(Read Job 9:25-35)
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.
21 Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
21 withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me.
21 First, lay off the afflictions; the terror is too much for me.
21 Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
21 Remove your heavy hand from me, and don't terrify me with your awesome presence.
(Read Job 13:13-22)
Job resolved to cleave to the testimony his own conscience gave of his uprightness. He depended upon God for justification and salvation, the two great things we hope for through Christ. Temporal salvation he little expected, but of his eternal salvation he was very confident; that God would not only be his Saviour to make him happy, but his salvation, in the sight and enjoyment of whom he should be happy. He knew himself not to be a hypocrite, and concluded that he should not be rejected. We should be well pleased with God as a Friend, even when he seems against us as an enemy. We must believe that all shall work for good to us, even when all seems to make against us. We must cleave to God, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in him. In a dying hour, we must derive from him living comforts; and this is to trust in him, though he slay us.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
18 With great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
18 I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose. I twist and turn.
18 By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
18 With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat.
(Read Job 30:15-31)
Job complains a great deal. Harbouring hard thoughts of God was the sin which did, at this time, most easily beset Job. When inward temptations join with outward calamities, the soul is hurried as in a tempest, and is filled with confusion. But woe be to those who really have God for an enemy! Compared with the awful state of ungodly men, what are all outward, or even inward temporal afflictions? There is something with which Job comforts himself, yet it is but a little. He foresees that death will be the end of all his troubles. God's wrath might bring him to death; but his soul would be safe and happy in the world of spirits. If none pity us, yet our God, who corrects, pities us, even as a father pitieth his own children. And let us look more to the things of eternity: then the believer will cease from mourning, and joyfully praise redeeming love.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 9:19
Commentary on Job 9:14-21
(Read Job 9:14-21)
Job is still righteous in his own eyes, 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.