Job 31 Commentary: Have you ever found yourself in the position of needing to give a defense of your actions? Or even a defense of your character?

It’s difficult to do. And one thing that makes it so difficult is that you’re not wanting to boast of yourself. You’d rather let the lips of another man praise you and not your own. You’re wanting to be humble and modest.

Even the Apostle Paul experienced this uncomfortable need to defend himself in 2 Corinthians and you can tell by the phrases he chooses there that this was not his desire – to be speaking so highly and glowingly of himself.

And this is what we see the biblical character Job having to do in Job chapter 31. So, let’s turn our attention to that chapter. Job 31.

Job chapter 31 records Job’s last words of self-defense. He’s had to defend himself against the accusation that his friends have been making that he’s secretly sinning.

Job’s friends believe that God works in this world in such a way that good is always and only rewarded and sin is always and only punished – in this life. And so, the friends see what’s happened to Job and all of his suffering and they assume that God is punishing him for some sort of sin.

At the same time, Job also has believed generally the same thing that his friends believe. But he has the advantage of knowing that he has not committed some sort of sin that would warrant God’s punishment.

And that causes great confusion in Job’s soul. God’s ways aren’t making sense to him.

And so, in this chapter – chapter 31 – Job is basically calling to God’s attention the fact that he’s not done anything deserving the kind of treatment that God has been giving him.

In fact, in the first 23 verses of this chapter we have six different areas that Job wants to bring up in which he’s been righteous and undeserving of God’s punishment.

And so, Job starts off in verses 1-4 by claiming that he’s been free of sexual immorality – even in the form of lusting after women.

KJV Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes;

So, Job had made a promise – as it were – with his eyes. And that promise involved “a maid’ or a young unmarried woman – or, really, all young unmarried women.

And it comes as no surprise that this sin that Job is speaking of is a big problem for men.

There’s a reason – that as the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is clarifying and intensifying the Old Testament Law – where he’s trying to make us see that it’s not just sins of the body that matter – but sins of the heart are also just as damning – that Jesus intensifies the commandment against adultery – which most people would take to be physical – and he clarifies that even the lust that would lead to adultery is itself adultery.

The current so-called #MeToo movement where numerous women are coming forward and claiming sexual abuse by men who held some power and influence in their lives is another testament to the fact that what Job is addressing is a tendency and temptation that is common to man.

It’s a common sin, then. And the amazing fact is that Job had an uncommon approach to this temptation.

He made a promise with his eyes not to lust after young women. And he’s implying that he had kept that promise with himself. And – for Job – he’s saying that this is one reason that he doesn’t deserve the kind of treatment that he’s receiving from God.

And I like Job’s wording that he uses here and would advocate it to everyone here who struggles in this area of lust – to think to yourself whenever the temptation arises – “Why then should I think upon” this area of temptation?

Ask yourself “why?” In the heat of the

Psalm 52 Commentary: Words have consequences. As James, the brother of our Lord, says the tongue is like a fire and can do all sorts of damage.

And in the life of the author of Psalm 52, he’s experienced one particular time in which the words of another person caused a lot of damage.

So, let’s turn our attention to Psalm 52.

The author of Psalm 52 reveals both who he is and the setting for which he wrote this psalm – and he does this in the superscription – the writing above the psalm itself.

<[To/For] the [chief Musician/choir director/music director],

Now, most of us probably need a refresher on the setting that David just mentioned. He’s referring to what happened in 1 Samuel, chapters 21 and 22.

There, Saul is king and has become murderous in his intentions toward David. David has learned of this and is fleeing from his king.

Under those circumstances, David flees to a city called Nob where some priests lived. They had no idea that Saul hated David – and David himself wasn’t very truthful and forthright with them – and so they helped David. The priests give David and his men food and Goliath’s sword and they pray to God for them.

But the problem is – as we’re told in 1 Samuel 21 – that one of Saul’s servants was there quietly witnessing all of this. And his name was Doeg and he was originally from the nation of Edom – which descended from Esau – and so he’s known in Scripture as “Doeg the Edomite” – he’s the one referenced in the superscription of Psalm 52.

Well, after David visited the priests at Nob, he then went to Philistia and then to Moab and finally he returned to Judah.

But after learning of these various journeys of David, the author then cuts to a scene where Saul is accusing all of his servants of supporting David. In that context, Doeg the Edomite steps forward and gives Saul all the details of Ahimelech the priest helping David.

This prompts Saul to go talk to Ahimelech – who admits that he helped David but he also declares that he knew nothing regarding how Saul was David’s enemy.

But that doesn’t matter to Saul – he demands the murder of the priests of the LORD – not just Ahimelech – but all of them who are there.

And no Israelite is willing to do this awful deed. Saul wouldn’t do it himself and he couldn’t find any other native-born Israelite to do it either.

So, Saul turns to the shameless and godless Doeg – who is very zealous to kill the Lord’s priests – 85 of them in one day.

And he didn’t stop there. Doeg went into the rest of the city of Nob and killed men, women, and children – and animals even. Innocent lives – holy and pious lives – were taken at the hands of this godless foreigner.

And if that story doesn’t make you angry – you’re maybe not paying attention – because it made David very angry.

And in this psalm, David expresses his anger toward the godless foreigner Doeg. David also expresses his confidence in God’s inevitable dealing with Doeg. And he’ll end all of this with praise to the Lord.

So, let’s move on to verse 1 where David challenges Doeg and then expresses his confidence in God.

KJV Psalm 52:1 Why [boastest thou thyself/do you boast] [in/about] [your plans which are…] [mischief/evil], O [mighty/powerful] man?

Job 30 Summary: So, in Job chapter 29 we witnessed Job wishing for the “good old days.” He was reminiscing on all of the wonderful things that God used to do for him. And then he was contrasting what his life had become.

But he didn’t get too much into the details of how his life had changed for the worse. He left that until this chapter – chapter 30.

So, in Job chapter 30 we’re going to witness Job explaining to his friends how bad his life has become.

Additionally, we’ll also see Job complaining directly to God regarding what Job regards as God being cruel to him.

So, to begin, Job wants to let everyone know that he is being mocked by those younger than him.

KJV Job 30:1 But now they that are younger than I [have me in derision/mock me],

And of course, this is a bad thing – the younger mocking the older. And yet, I think we’re a bit desensitized as to how awful it really is because of our popular culture that promotes rebellion against every authority. But to Job and his culture, this kind of behavior was just completely unacceptable – and it’s likely that everyone would have agreed. Well, maybe everyone except these younger folks that are mocking Job.

And the really frustrating part of this for Job is that even the fathers of these kids – Job is now going to admit – were worthless fellows! And now their sons – even more worthless than they – are mocking him.

whose fathers I would have disdained [too much…] to have [set/put] with [the dogs of my flock/my sheep dogs].

So, Job is using greater to lesser logic. If the fathers of these kids who now mock him were too insignificant to be put with the dogs that watched Job’s sheep in the old days, then how much worse are the sons of these men?!

So, they were insignificant. And furthermore, the fathers of these young mockers were weak.

2 [Yea/Indeed/Moreover], [whereto/how even] might the strength of their hands profit me,

So, these fathers were too old and feeble for their supposed strength to be of any use to Job in the old days when he wouldn’t have even employed them to work with his sheep dogs.

And, not only were these men contemptible and weak, they were also scrawny as a result of going hungry.

3 [For/From] want and [famine/hunger] they were [solitary/gaunt];

So, these men from Job’s old days were weak and skinny and hungry. Job in times past – in his glory days – was far better-off than they were.

And these men who never could have worked for Job were so hungry – as we just saw – that they would go out to find whatever sustenance they could from the salt marshes.

4 Who [cut up/pluck] mallows by the bushes, [by the brush they would gather herbs from the salt marshes…]

And whatever the exact references Job makes to various plants – the point is clear. These men that Job never would have dreamed of employing would have to scrape up their food from some pretty far-off places – because they were so worthless.

And that’s because Job says that these men from the old days were blights to their communities and were thus driven far from civilization.

5 They were [driven forth from among/driven from/banished from<

Job 29 Summary: I think that many or probably all of us have heard people wistfully speak of the “good old days.” Maybe you yourself have engaged in that kind of speech.

And I think the older we get, the more likely we are to longingly think of times gone by. And one reason for that is simply that the older we get, the harder – generally – life is for us. The more trials we have.

And as we have more and harder trials – our past with its relative ease looks more and more attractive.

And I believe it’s this kind of dynamic that Job expresses in the 29th chapter of the book named after him. So, let’s turn our attention to Job, chapter 29.

And here in the 29th chapter of Job, Job takes this whole chapter to lament that God isn’t treating him like he used to. He longingly looks back on his “good old days” for 25 verses.

And in verses 1-10 Job reminisces over all the blessings that he used to have – and he wishes that that were still the case with him.

KJV Job 29:1 [Moreover/And/Then] Job [continued/took up] his [parable/discourse/speech], and said,

2 Oh that I were as in months [past/gone by/now gone],

So Job is lamenting that God – in his estimation – isn’t preserving and watching over him. And so, what we have throughout this entire chapter is Job looking back fondly at his life before chapters 1 and 2 of this book – before Satan comes before God and God points out Satan to Job.

Well, what was happening in Job’s life when God was preserving and watching over him? Job says that that was a time…

3 When his [candle/lamp] shined upon my head,

So, Job remembers this time in his life as one marked by light.

And of course, Job is not speaking of physical light. He’s not lamenting the fact that the Sun no longer shines on him.

But Job is picturing the way God treated him in the old days and he’s expressing the feeling he has about it. In his recollection, it’s as if God was lighting his way. God was expelling darkness all around him.

And of course, by contrast, Job at this point in his life is feeling like he’s walking around in darkness – confusion – not knowing where the next step will lead him.

And then Job continues and he admits that the days before his awful trial were extremely productive and marked by close communion with God.

4 As I was in [the days of my youth/the prime of my days/my most productive time],

And Job continues to speak of the relational closeness that he experienced before his trial – both with God – and now he even remembers his beloved departed children.

5 When the Almighty was [yet/still] with me,

And, as Job moves on, he claims that his life before this trial of his was characterized by “fatness.”

6 When [I washed my steps/my steps were bathed] with butter,

And we tend to think in our day that fat is bad. But that’s just not how Job or the rest of Scripture presents things like butter and oil.

Instead, these foods are a sign of richness – a sign

Psalm 51 Commentary: The Bible tells us that sin is deceitful. And with its deception, it can harden us.

But every once in a while – or hopefully sooner than that – God breaks in on our lives and helps us recognize the gravity of our sin.

And that’s the attitude of David in Psalm 51. God has caused David to once again be sensitive to spiritual realities and to confess his sin openly and honestly to the Lord.

So, let’s turn our attention to Psalm 51.

Now, in many cases it seems that the superscription to individual psalms is not all that helpful for the sake of interpreting the content of the rest of that psalm. But Psalm 51 is not like that at all. Because in Psalm 51, we are given one of the most informative superscriptions that appears before any psalm.

KJV Psalm 51:1

<[To/For] the [chief Musician/Choir Director/Music Director],

So, our minds hearken back to the story told in 2 Samuel 12 where David is confronted by the prophet Nathan about his adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband.

Nathan – as you recall – sets David up with a story about a wealthy man who steals the one beloved sheep that a poor man had. And naturally, David gets stirred up by this story and declares the death sentence on this rich man. And then of course Nathan declares to David that he himself is that rich man.

By extension – then – David deserves the fate that he declared for that rich man from Nathan’s story. David deserves to die.

But David humbly confesses his sin. And Nathan declares that God has declared that David would not die.

So, there was forgiveness – great forgiveness from God for great transgression. And then the story in 2 Samuel moves on from there quickly.

But as we read through Psalm 51, it’s almost as if the psalmist doesn’t want to leave that scene. He wants to linger in that moment in which David was confronted by Nathan and then responded to God’s rebuke.

The way that 2 Samuel 12 portrays it, Nathan rebuked David – David repented – and then the story moves on. David’s repentance there is presented as very brief.

Psalm 51 though elaborates on David’s feelings. It gets into David’s mind as he laments his own awful sin to the Lord. It captures the moment of David being confronted by God through Nathan.

And so, for us, it’s an example of repentance – brought into focus. How does a person who loves God respond when he comes to realize the enormity of his sin?

This psalm will fill-out for us what it can look like to practice 1 John 1:9 – to confess our sins and find God to be faithful and just to forgive us all our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So, as we begin to study this psalm, we start with David’s initial plea for mercy from God.

[Have mercy upon/Be gracious to] me, O God, [according to/because of] thy [lovingkindness/loyal love]:

So, David is asking for mercy. He’s asking for his transgressions to be blotted out.

What’s the basis for this? How can David feel justified in asking for God to have mercy on him?

Well, it’s certainly not the cleanness of David’s hands – or the purity of his life. That’s gone forever for David at this point.

No – David doesn’t come to God

Job 28 Commentary: It must have been a few years ago that I lost my wallet for over a week. I thought it was in the car, but I searched there several times with no luck.

I was about to start calling my financial institutions and having them cancel my cards and things like that – when I checked one last time thoroughly and systematically that car. And I found it – there it was – under the passenger side seat.

I had looked there before. But apparently not hard enough.

Certain things in this life are easy to find. While, others are quite difficult.

But in Job, chapter 28 we’re going to have Job tell us that there’s one thing that’s utterly impossible for mere mortals to find. And that thing is wisdom.

So, let’s turn our attention to Job, chapter 28.

Now, we saw in the last chapter that Job was in agreement with his friends that – indeed – God does show his power against wicked men by punishing them.

But that causes Job to consider that he himself is receiving the fate of these wicked men – but he himself is righteous.

Job – a righteous man – even by God’s testimony – is suffering like the wicked are supposed to. And that makes no sense. He can’t understand God’s ways.

And as the message of this book goes, When We Can’t Understand God’s Ways, We Must Trust His Wisdom in Our Circumstances.

But in this chapter that we’re going to be studying now, Job admits that God’s wisdom is really difficult to find.

And what’s really interesting is that humankind has shown an amazing ability to find things that would seem to be nearly impossible to discover.

And so, this is what Job marvels at for the first 11 verses of this chapter – that there’s very little that’s hidden from human endeavor to discover it.

Job begins by speaking of mining precious metals.

KJV Job 28:1 Surely there is a [vein/mine] for [the silver/silver],

Yes, there is a place for silver and gold. And what we need to recognize is that that place is not usually out in the open. You usually need to search for it and dig it up.

And Job goes on to highlight human endeavor to excavate these metals.

2 Iron is taken [out of/from] the [earth/dust/ground],

And so, verses 1 and 2 are Job pointing to the existence of hard-to-find metals.

And now, he’s going to focus on mankind’s ability to find these metals in the earth.

3 [He/Man] [setteth/puts] an end to darkness,

the [stones/rock/ore] [of darkness/in gloom],

This is describing the darkness that’s found in caves and other places in which mining activities are carried out. It’s dark down there – but mankind puts an end to that darkness and finds what its looking for.

And Job goes on to speak more of spelunking in caves as people search for previous metals.

4 [The flood breaketh/He sinks a shaft] [out/far] from [the inhabitant/habitation/where people live];

they [are dried up/hang and swing to and fro/dangle and sway],

Now, the word behind “flood” is translated elsewhere as “valley” 23 times. It

Job 27 Commentary: The late Stephen Covey in his popular book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People tells of his own personal experience giving a perception test to numerous audiences.

His test involved showing a picture of an old woman to half of the group and a young woman to the other half. But neither half knew what he showed the other half of the audience.

Then he would show a composite picture of both a young woman and old woman together where both images are on the page.

And then he would have individuals from each half of the audience speak to each other about the picture and try to come to some consensus on what they saw in the picture.

He says that the results were predictable – the people who were shown the old woman before saw her in the composite picture. And the people who were shown the young woman saw that in the composite picture.

And what’s interesting is that sometimes these individuals would become angry at one another. Sometimes there would even be name-calling. And this is among adult professionals.

And we see a very similar situation occurring with the biblical character Job and his three friends. So, let’s turn our attention to Job, chapter 27.

We’re going to see eventually in this chapter that both Job and his friends are in close agreement as to how God treats the wicked in this world. We’ll see him state that toward the end of this chapter.

And yet – you would have no idea that these men agreed about anything with how they’re talking to each other. And that’s how this chapter starts – with some more harsh words from Job directed against these three men who had come originally to comfort him.

So, in verses 1 through 6, Job gives a defiant response to his friends’ attempt to prove that he’s wicked.

KJV Job 27:1 [Moreover/Then/And] Job [continued/took up] his [parable/discourse (again)], and said,

2 As God liveth, who hath [taken away/denied] [my judgment/my right/me justice];

And let’s stop there for a moment. Job is starting this chapter with an oath. “As God liveth…” That’s an oath formula.

And so, what’s to follow is then what Job is sure is or will be the case. As surely as God lives, this or that will be the case or won’t be the case.

But the problem is what he says about God. Yes – positively Job recognizes that God is living. He’s real. He’s not an idol. He lives.

But what does he accuse God of doing?

Of denying Job justice. And of vexing his soul or making his life bitter.

And while it’s true that God has made Job’s life difficult – it can hardly be said that God has denied Job justice. But Job is thinking that God is acting out of character – that he should only be punishing the wicked – and because he’s punishing Job who isn’t wicked – God is doing something wrong. God is being unjust, says Job!

And while we can understand why Job thinks the way he does, it doesn’t mean that he’s right. And in this case, he’s actually very wrong.

OK – but Job is making an oath as I say. So, let’s see what Job is giving an oath to – what he is swearing will or will not be the case…

3 [All the while/For as long as/For while] my [breath/life/spirit] is [still…] in me,

4 My lips shall not speak wickedness,

So, as long as Job lives he asserts that he will not lie. He’s not going to be wicked by saying things that are not true. He refuses t

Psalm 50 Commentary: From the beginning of man’s relationship with God – after Adam sinned – sacrifices became commonplace among humans. The taking of an animal’s life in place of your own is a feature of many ancient religions. And it was certainly a feature of the one true religion revealed in Scripture.

But almost as common in the pages of Scripture is reference to the fact that God isn’t interested in sacrifices from a person who in all other ways is alienated from God.

And you can summarize that idea in a number of sayings – “God wants your heart and not just your hands” – or “God wants a relationship over external religious activities” – or as Jesus Christ said – quoting from the Old Testament, “I desire mercy and not a sacrifice.”

And the psalm that we’re going to study right now is just one more piece of testimony to the fact that God is after more than just sacrifices. So, let’s turn to Psalm 50 to see this.

And in Psalm 50, we’re given this theme: that “Praise and godly living is more important to God than external religious activity.”

And at the opening of this psalm, the psalmist pictures a time when God is going to come to judge the world and in particular his people Israel in verses 1-7.

KJV Psalm 50:1 The mighty God, even the LORD, [hath spoken/speaks],

And so, God is calling the whole earth here. From east to west – the mighty God will summon everyone.

And God will do this judging from a specific place. Verses 2 and 3 tell us that he will judge from Zion – from Jerusalem.

2 Out of Zion, the [perfection of beauty/most beautiful of all places],

3 Our God [shall come/approaches],

a fire shall devour before him,

And in verse 4 we finally get to the purpose for which God is going to summon the whole earth.

4 He [shall call to/summons] the heavens [from/which are] above,

So, he’s going to gather those who identify as his people to judge them from heaven and earth.

And this is what God will say..

5 Gather my [saints/godly ones/covenant people] together unto me;

So, God first of all will call to him those who have shown their relationship to him by sacrifice.

Now, God makes it clear in the Old Testament – and even later in this psalm – that he’s not interested in sacrifice that is void of a holy lifestyle that reflects the relationship that the worshipper has with God. So, this is not teaching that a person’s attempt to sacrifice to God is the way to be accepted by him.

Rather, God will accept those who have made a covenant with him through sacrifice. Who have demonstrated that they are in a covenant – a relationship based upon a promise – with God by sacrificing.

And for us living after Christ has come and died and rose again – his sacrifice is what brings us into covenant with God. It’s through Jesus that we have a saving relationship with the mighty God who is coming to judge.

And – praise be to God – we who have accepted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf are saved from the wrath to come – which this psalm is focused on thus far.

And that’s amazing that anyone will be acce

Job 26 Commentary: Have you ever been party to an argument in which both people are making the same points – but somehow amazingly both are in disagreement?

Well, this is exactly the situation that the biblical character Job finds himself in – in Job chapter 26. So let’s turn our attention to Job 26.

And in this chapter, Job is responding to the last short speech by his friend Bildad. And in that speech, Bildad basically pointed to God’s power and to the inability of a person like Job to be viewed as righteous by God.

And we’re going to see Job being very frustrated in chapter 26 partly because he and Bildad basically see eye-to-eye on the matter of God’s power. Job’s not at all disagreeing with Bildad on that point. And he’s going to make that abundantly clear a few verses into this chapter.

But before he gets to that, Job wants to express his utter disgust for his friend’s unhelpful speech to him in the last chapter.

And so, Job begins his response to Bildad’s last speech with biting sarcasm that’s meant to inform Bildad that his words were no help whatsoever to him.

KJV Job 26:1 [But/Then] Job [answered and said/responded/replied],

2 [How hast thou helped/What a help you are to/How you have helped] [him that is without power/the weak/the powerless] [?/!]

So, Job is the one without power. He’s the arm that has no strength. He needs to be helped. He needs to be saved – rescued – delivered from his problems.

But instead of helping and saving Job, Bildad’s speech did nothing of the sort.

And, we also need to note that Job’s not asking questions here – like how did you do that? He’s pretending to marvel – like what an excellent wonderful job you just did there!

And taken at face value, Job is being very complimentary to Bildad. But that’s the force of sarcasm. The listener will try to process it like normal communication and it makes no sense – because it’s just the opposite of what the communicator really thinks.

And surely Bildad knew that Job was not pleased with what he said in the last chapter. And to have Job basically extol his words would be unexpected, to say the least. And when Bildad figured out that Job was not literally truthful in his statements, he would have been very insulted.

Well, Job continues with his sarcastic statements in verse 3.

3 [How hast thou counselled/What counsel you have given to/How you have advised] him that hath no wisdom [?/!]

Now, Job does not consider himself to be without wisdom. He’s made that clear throughout this book as he’s been trying to defend himself against the accusation of his friends that he’s secretly wicked.

But Job is saying here that if he was one of those who lacked wisdom, Bildad’s speech was so incredibly helpful! It was fantastic counsel to him. Bildad plentifully declared the thing as it is. He gave wonderfully abundant and helpful insight…

And of course, Job truly means none of this. His real feelings concerning Bildad’s speech are just the opposite.

Job would believe that Bildad proved himself to have no wisdom. His counsel was worthless. His plentiful declarations were plentiful – but not helpful at all to Job.

Bildad’s whole point in chapter 25 seemed to be that no one can possibly be righteous in God’s estimation. The friends had tri