7 Remember Thou that my life 'is' a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good. 8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes 'are' upon me—and I am not. 9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. 10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again. 11 Also I—I withhold not my mouth—I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul. 12 A sea-'monster' am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard? 13 When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch. 14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me, 15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones. 16 I have wasted away—not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days 'are' vanity.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 7:7-16
Commentary on Job 7:7-16
(Read Job 7:7-16)
Plain truths as to the shortness and vanity of man's life, and the certainty of death, do us good, when we think and speak of them with application to ourselves. Dying is done but once, and therefore it had need be well done. An error here is past retrieve. Other clouds arise, but the same cloud never returns: so a new generation of men is raised up, but the former generation vanishes away. Glorified saints shall return no more to the cares and sorrows of their houses; nor condemned sinners to the gaieties and pleasures of their houses. It concerns us to secure a better place when we die. From these reasons Job might have drawn a better conclusion than this, I will complain. When we have but a few breaths to draw, we should spend them in the holy, gracious breathings of faith and prayer; not in the noisome, noxious breathings of sin and corruption. We have much reason to pray, that He who keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps, may keep us when we slumber and sleep. Job covets to rest in his grave. Doubtless, this was his infirmity; for though a good man would choose death rather than sin, yet he should be content to live as long as God pleases, because life is our opportunity of glorifying him, and preparing for heaven.