Geneva Study Bible My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. My soul is {a} weary of my life; I will leave my {b} complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
(a) I am more like a dead man, than to one that lives. (b) I will make an ample declaration of my torments, accusing myself and not God. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. I will say unto God, Do not {c} condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
(c) He would not that God would proceed against him by his secret justice, but by the ordinary means that he punishes others. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? Is it {d} good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the {e} work of thine hands, and shine upon the {f} counsel of the wicked?
(d) Is it agreeable to your justice to do me wrong? (e) Will you be without compassions? (f) Will you gratify the wicked and condemn me? Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Hast thou eyes of {g} flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
(g) Do you do this of ignorance. Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days, Are thy days as the {h} days of man? are thy years as man's days,
(h) Are you inconstant and changeable as the times, today a friend, tomorrow an enemy? That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. Thou knowest that I am not {i} wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
(i) By affliction you keep me as in a prison, and restrain me from doing evil, neither can any set me free. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. Thine {k} hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
(k) In these eight verses following he describes the mercy of God, in the wonderful creation of man: and on it grounds that God should not show himself rigorous against him. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as {l} the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
(l) As brittle as a pot of clay. Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. Thou hast granted me life and {m} favour, and thy {n} visitation hath preserved my spirit.
(m) That is, reason and understanding, and many other gifts, by which man excels all earthly creatures. (n) That is, the fatherly care and providence by which you preserved me, and without which I would perish immediately. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know {o} that this is with thee.
(o) Though I am not fully able to comprehend these things, yet I must confess that it is so. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not {p} lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;
(p) I will always walk in fear and humility, knowing that no one is just before you. For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself {q} marvellous upon me.
(q) Job being sore assaulted in this battle between the flesh and the spirit, breaks out into these affections, wishing rather for short days than long pain. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; {r} changes and war are against me.
(r) That is, diversity of diseases and in great abundance; showing that God has infinite means to punish man. Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Are not my days few? {s} cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
(s) He wishes that God would leave off his affliction, considering his great misery and the shortness of his life. Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; Before I go whence I shall not {t} return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
(t) He speaks this in the person of a sinner, that is overcome with passions and with the feeling of God's judgments and therefore cannot apprehend in that state the mercies of God, and the comfort of the resurrection. A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness. A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any {u} order, and where the light is as darkness. (u) No distinction between light and darkness but where there is very darkness itself. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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