would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge. 16. If I had called, and he had answered me: yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. 18. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. 21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
What Job had said of man's utter inability to contend with God, he here applies to himself, and, in effect, despairs of gaining his favour; which (some think) arises from the hard thoughts he had of God, as one who, having set himself against him, right or wrong, would be too hard for him. I rather think it arises from the sense he had of the imperfection of his own righteousness, and the dark and cloudy apprehensions which, at present, he had of God's displeasure against him.
I. He dares not dispute with God; (v. 14.) "If the proud helpers do stoop under him, how much less shall I, a poor weak creature, (so far from being a helper, that I am very helpless,) how shall I answer him? What can I say against that which God doeth? If I go about to reason with him, he will certainly be too hard for me." If the potter make the clay into a vessel of dishonour, or break in pieces the vessel he has made, shall the clay or the broken vessel reason with him? So absurd is the man who replies against God, or thinks to talk it out with him. No, let all flesh be silent before him.
II. He dares not insist upon his own justification before God. Though he vindicated his own integrity to his friends, and would not yield that he was a hypocrite and a wicked man, as they suggested, yet he would never plead it as his righteousness before God. I will never venture upon the covenant of innocency, nor think to come off by virtue of that.
Job knew so much of God, and knew so much of himself, that he durst not insist upon his own justification before God.
1. He knew so much of God, that he durst not stand a trial with him, v. 15. 19. He knew how to make his part good with his friends, and thought himself able to deal with them; but, though his cause had been better than it was, he knew it was to no purpose to debate it with God.
(1.) God knew him better than he knew himself; and therefore, (v. 15.) "Though I were righteous in my own apprehension, and my own heart did not condemn me, yet God is greater than my heart, and knows those secret faults and errors of mine which I do not, and cannot, understand, and is able to charge me with them, and therefore I will not answer." St. Paul speaks to the same purport; I know nothing by myself, am not conscious to myself of any reigning wickedness, and yet I am not hereby justified, 1 Cor. iv. 4. "I dare not put myself upon that issue, lest God charge that upon me which I did not discover in myself." Job will therefore waive that plea, and make supplication to his Judge; that is, will cast himself upon God's mercy, and not think to come off by his own merit.
(2.) He had no reason to think that there was any thing in his prayers to recommend them to the divine acceptance, or to fetch in an answer of peace; no worth or worthiness at all, to which to ascribe their success; but it must be attributed purely to the grace and compassion of God, who answers before we call, and not because we call, and gives gracious answers to our prayers, but not for our prayers, v. 16. "If I had called, and he had answered, had given the thing I called to him for, yet, so weak and defective are my best prayers, that I would not believe he had therein hearkened to my voice; I could not say that he had saved with his right hand, and answered me," (Ps. lx. 5. ) " but that he did it purely for his own name's sake." Bishop Patrick expounds it thus; "If I had made supplication, and he had granted my desire, I would not think my prayer had done the business." Not for your sakes be it I known to you.
(3.) His present miseries, which God had brought him into, notwithstanding his integrity, gave him too sensible a conviction, that, in the ordering and disposing of men's outward condition in this world, God acts by sovereignty, and though he never doth wrong to any, yet he doth not ever give full right to all; that is, the best do not always fare best, nor the worst fare worst, in this life, because he reserves the full and exact distribution of rewards and punishments for the future state. Job was not conscious to himself of any extraordinary guilt, and yet fell under extraordinary afflictions, v. 17, 18. Every man must expect the wind to blow upon him, and ruffle him, but Job was broken with a tempest; every man, in the midst of these thorns and briers, must expect to be scratched, but Job was wounded, and his wounds multiplied. Every man must expect a cross daily, and to taste sometimes of the bitter cup; but poor Job's troubles came so thick upon him, that he had no breathing time, he was filled with bitterness; and he presumes to say that all this was without cause, without any great provocation given. We have made the best of what Job said hitherto, though contrary to the judgment of many good interpreters; but here, no doubt, he spake unadvisedly with his lips; he reflected on God's goodness, in saying that he was not suffered to take his breath, while yet he had such good use of his reason and speech to be able to talk thus; and on his justice, in saying that it was without cause. Yet it is true, that, as, on the one hand, there are many who are chargeable with more sin than the common infirmities of the human nature, and yet feel no more sorrow than that of the common calamities of human life; so, on the other hand, there are many who feel more than the common calamities of human life, and yet are conscious to themselves of no more than the common infirmities of human nature.
(4.) He was in no capacity at all to make his part good with God, v. 19. [1.] Not by force of arms; "I dare not enter the lists of the Almighty; for, if I speak of strength, and think to come off by that, lo, he is strong; stronger than I, and will certainly overpower me." There is no disputing (said one once to Caesar) with him that commands legions; much less with him that has legions of angels at command. Can thine heart endure, (thy courage and presence of mind,) or can thine hands be strong to defend thyself, in the days that I shall deal with thee? Ezek. xxii. 14. [2.] Not by force of arguments: "I dare not try the merits of the cause; if I speak of judgment, and insist upon my right, who will set me a time to plead? There is no higher power to which I may appeal, no superior court to appoint a hearing of the cause, for He is supreme, and from Him every man's judgment proceeds, which he must abide by."
2. He knew so much of himself, that he durst not stand a trial, v. 20, 21. "If I go about to justify myself, and to plead a righteousness of my own, my
