2 "Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
2 "Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?
2 "So what's new? I know all this. The question is, 'How can mere mortals get right with God?'
2 "Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?
2 "Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God's sight?
4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
4 How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?
4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?
4 How can a mere mortal presume to stand up to God? How can an ordinary person pretend to be guiltless?
4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
4 How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure?
Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God.
Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Zechariah 13:1. We should be humbled as mean, guilty, polluted creatures, and renounce self-dependence. But our vileness will commend Christ's condescension and love; the riches of his mercy and the power of his grace will be magnified to all eternity by every sinner he redeems.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 9:2
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.