4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength --who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?--
4 God's wisdom is so deep, God's power so immense, who could take him on and come out in one piece?
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
4 For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?
4 I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire.
4 I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together.
4 I'm not angry. I care. Even if it gives me thistles and thornbushes, I'll just pull them out and burn them up.
4 Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.
4 My anger will be gone. If I find briers and thorns growing, I will attack them; I will burn them up-
(Read Isaiah 27:1-5)
The Lord Jesus with his strong sword, the virtue of his death, and the preaching of his gospel, does and will destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, that old serpent. The world is a fruitless, worthless wilderness; but the church is a vineyard, a place that has great care taken of it, and from which precious fruits are gathered. God will keep it in the night of affliction and persecution, and in the day of peace and prosperity, the temptations of which are not less dangerous. God also takes care of the fruitfulness of this vineyard. We need the continual waterings of Divine grace; if these be at any time withdrawn, we wither, and come to nothing. Though God sometimes contends with his people, yet he graciously waits to be reconciled unto them. It is true, when he finds briers and thorns instead of vines, and they are set in array against him, he will tread them down and burn them. Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel, with which the church is to be watered every moment. Ever since sin first entered, there has been, on God's part, a righteous quarrel, but, on man's part, most unrighteous. Here is a gracious invitation given. Pardoning mercy is called the power of our Lord; let us take hold on that. Christ crucified is the power of God. Let us by lively faith take hold on his strength who is a strength to the needy, believing there is no other name by which we can be saved, as a man that is sinking catches hold of a bough, or cord, or plank, that is in his reach. This is the only way, and it is a sure way, to be saved. God is willing to be reconciled to us.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 9:4
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.