… I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:11
“What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment? Job 7:17, 18
Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.” Job 7:21
What’s the Point?
In the face of a fate that is worse than death, Job will not retreat to platitudes, but insists on facing ultimate questions honestly (7:1-11). Looking now toward heaven, Job cries out to God, “Why have You made me Your target? Why do You not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?” (vv. 20-21)
Job speaks frankly with God as he begins to pour out his anguish and to complain in bitterness. He had no fear that the Lord would misinterpret him as his human counselors had. The Lord did not reprimand Job for this but instead commended Job for speaking “what is right” (see 42:7).
7 And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Job 42:7
17 “What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, 18 That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment? 19 How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
7:20, 21 Job appeals to God to show him what he has done to deserve being made a target for God’s persecution. When Job calls God the watcher of men, he employs a participle that normally describes God in a positive role as one who preserves His people (Ps. 31:23)
Note: Verse 7:20 in KJV and NKJV are written very differently. KJV version seems to make more sense in light of verse 21 that follows.
20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? KJV 20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself? NKJV 21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.”
–> Job asked an important question to God. Good question Job! God answered. He became the answer.
Hymn: O love that will not let me go.
