91 Job continued by saying: 2 "So what's new? I know all this. The question is, 'How can mere mortals get right with God?' 3 If we wanted to bring our case before him, what chance would we have? Not one in a thousand! 4 God's wisdom is so deep, God's power so immense, who could take him on and come out in one piece? 5 He moves mountains before they know what's happened, flips them on their heads on a whim. 6 He gives the earth a good shaking up, rocks it down to its very foundations. 7 He tells the sun, 'Don't shine,' and it doesn't; he pulls the blinds on the stars. 8 All by himself he stretches out the heavens and strides on the waves of the sea. 9 He designed the Big Dipper and Orion, the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri. 10 We'll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can't be counted. 11 Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don't see him; quietly but surely he's active, and I miss it. 12 If he steals you blind, who can stop him? Who's going to say, 'Hey, what are you doing?' 13 God doesn't hold back on his anger; even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him.
14 "So how could I ever argue with him, construct a defense that would influence God? 15 Even though I'm innocent I could never prove it; I can only throw myself on the Judge's mercy. 16 If I called on God and he himself answered me, then, and only then, would I believe that he'd heard me. 17 As it is, he knocks me about from pillar to post, beating me up, black and blue, for no good reason. 18 He won't even let me catch my breath, piles bitterness upon bitterness. 19 If it's a question of who's stronger, he wins, hands down! If it's a question of justice, who'll serve him the subpoena? 20 Even though innocent, anything I say incriminates me; blameless as I am, my defense just makes me sound worse. If God's Not Responsible, Who Is? 21 "Believe me, I'm blameless. I don't understand what's going on. I hate my life!
22 Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad. 23 When calamity hits and brings sudden death, he folds his arms, aloof from the despair of the innocent. 24 He lets the wicked take over running the world, he installs judges who can't tell right from wrong. If he's not responsible, who is?
25 "My time is short - what's left of my life races off too fast for me to even glimpse the good. 26 My life is going fast, like a ship under full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey. 27 Even if I say, 'I'll put all this behind me, I'll look on the bright side and force a smile,' 28 All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut since it's clear you're not going to let up. 29 The verdict has already been handed down - 'Guilty!' - so what's the use of protests or appeals? 30 Even if I scrub myself all over and wash myself with the strongest soap I can find, 31 It wouldn't last - you'd push me into a pigpen, or worse, so nobody could stand me for the stink.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 9:1-31
Commentary on Job 9:1-13
(Read Job 9:1-13)
In this answer Job declared that he did not doubt the justice of God, when he denied himself to be a hypocrite; for how should man be just with God? Before him he pleaded guilty of sins more than could be counted; and if God should contend with him in judgment, he could not justify one out of a thousand, of all the thoughts, words, and actions of his life; therefore he deserved worse than all his present sufferings. When Job mentions the wisdom and power of God, he forgets his complaints. We are unfit to judge of God's proceedings, because we know not what he does, or what he designs. God acts with power which no creature can resist. Those who think they have strength enough to help others, will not be able to help themselves against it.
Commentary on Job 9:14-21
(Read Job 9:14-21)
Job is still righteous in his own eyes, 1, and this answer, though it sets forth the power and majesty of God, implies that the question between the afflicted and the Lord of providence, is a question of might, and not of right; and we begin to discover the evil fruits of pride and of a self-righteous spirit. Job begins to manifest a disposition to condemn God, that he may justify himself, for which he is afterwards reproved. Still Job knew so much of himself, that he durst not stand a trial. If we say, We have no sin, we not only deceive ourselves, but we affront God; for we sin in saying so, and give the lie to the Scripture. But Job reflected on God's goodness and justice in saying his affliction was without cause.
Commentary on Job 9:22-24
(Read Job 9:22-24)
Job touches briefly upon the main point now in dispute. His friends maintained that those who are righteous and good, always prosper in this world, and that none but the wicked are in misery and distress: he said, on the contrary, that it is a common thing for the wicked to prosper, and the righteous to be greatly afflicted. Yet there is too much passion in what Job here says, for God doth not afflict willingly. When the spirit is heated with dispute or with discontent, we have need to set a watch before our lips.
Commentary on Job 9:25-35
(Read Job 9:25-35)
What little need have we of pastimes, and what great need to redeem time, when it runs on so fast towards eternity! How vain the enjoyments of time, which we may quite lose while yet time continues! The remembrance of having done our duty will be pleasing afterwards; so will not the remembrance of having got worldly wealth, when it is all lost and gone. Job's complaint of God, as one that could not be appeased and would not relent, was the language of his corruption. There is a Mediator, a Daysman, or Umpire, for us, even God's own beloved Son, who has purchased peace for us with the blood of his cross, who is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through him. If we trust in his name, our sins will be buried in the depths of the sea, we shall be washed from all our filthiness, and made whiter than snow, so that none can lay any thing to our charge. We shall be clothed with the robes of righteousness and salvation, adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit, and presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. May we learn the difference between justifying ourselves, and being thus justified by God himself. Let the tempest-tossed soul consider Job, and notice that others have passed this dreadful gulf; and though they found it hard to believe that God would hear or deliver them, yet he rebuked the storm, and brought them to the desired haven. Resist the devil; give not place to hard thoughts of God, or desperate conclusions about thyself. Come to Him who invites the weary and heavy laden; who promises in nowise to cast them out.