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Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice
34 Furthermore Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, O you wise men;
and give ear unto me, you that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tests words,
as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us choose justice for ourselves;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 “For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
but God has taken away my judgment.
6 Should I lie concerning my right?
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water,
8 who goes in company with the workers of iniquity
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should delight himself in God.’
10 “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
Far be it from God that He should do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.
11 He will repay a man for his work,
and cause every man to find what is according to his ways.
12 Yes, surely God will not do wickedly,
nor will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who has given Him charge over the earth?
Or who has set in order the whole world?
14 If He sets His heart on man,
if He gathers unto Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15 all flesh will perish together,
and man will turn again to dust.
16 “If now you have understanding, hear this;
listen to the voice of my words:
17 Should he who hates justice govern?
And will you condemn Him who is most just?
18 Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are wicked’?
And to princes, ‘You are ungodly’?
19 Yet He is not partial to princes,
nor does He regard the rich more than the poor.
For they all are the work of His hands.
20 In a moment they will die,
and the people will be troubled at midnight and pass away,
and the mighty will be taken away without a hand.
21 “For His eyes are upon the ways of man,
and He sees all his goings.
22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death
where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For He will not lay upon man more than right,
that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He will break in pieces mighty men without number,
and set others in their place.
25 Therefore He knows their works,
and He overturns them in the night
so that they are destroyed.
26 He strikes them as wicked men
in the open sight of others,
27 because they turned back from Him
and would not consider any of His ways,
28 so that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him;
and He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him,
whether it is done against a nation or against a man only?
30 That the hypocrite should not reign,
lest the people be ensnared.
31 “Should anyone say to God,
‘I have borne chastisement, I will offend no more;
32 teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?
33 Should it be according to your mind?
He will repay it, whether you refuse or whether you choose,
and not I; therefore speak what you know.
34 “Let men of understanding say to me,
wise men who listen to me:
35 ‘Job has spoken without knowledge,
and his words were without wisdom.’
36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion unto his sin;
he claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness
35 Elihu spoke again and said:
2 “Do you think this is right,
that you say, ‘My righteousness is before God’?
3 For you said, ‘What advantage will it be to me?
What profit will I have if I am cleansed from my sin?’
4 “I will answer you,
and your companions with you.
5 Look unto the heavens and see,
and behold the clouds that are higher than you.
6 If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?
Or if your transgressions are multiplied, what does it do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what does it give Him?
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness may hurt a man like you,
and your righteousness may profit a son of man.
9 “Because of the many oppressions they cry out;
they cry out because of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
12 There they cry out, but He does not answer
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity,
nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although you say you do not see Him,
yet judgment is before Him,
and you must trust in Him.
15 But now, because He has not punished in His anger,
nor taken much notice of folly,
16 therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
he multiplies words without knowledge.”
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
36 Elihu continued and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you
that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar
and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words will not be false;
He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty and despises no one;
He is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked,
but gives justice to the poor.
7 He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
but they are on the throne with kings,
for He establishes them forever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains
and held in cords of affliction,
9 then He shows them their work,
and their transgressions that they have exceeded;
10 and He opens their ear to discipline,
and commands that they turn from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve Him,
they will spend their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they do not obey,
they will perish by the sword,
and they will die without knowledge.
13 “But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath;
they do not cry out when He binds them.
14 They die in youth,
and their life ends among the unclean.
15 He delivers the poor in their affliction,
and opens their ears in oppression.
16 “Even so He would have removed you out of distress
into a broad place where there is no restraint;
and that which was set on your table would be full of richness.
17 But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with a blow;
even a great ransom cannot deliver you.
19 Will He esteem your riches?
No, not gold, nor all the force of your strength.
20 Do not desire the night,
when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed! Do not turn to iniquity,
for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;
who teaches like Him?
23 Who has prescribed His way for Him?
Or who can say, ‘You have worked iniquity’?
24 Remember to magnify His work,
which men behold.
25 Every man may see it;
man may behold it from afar.
26 Look, God is great, and we do not know Him,
nor can the number of His years be searched out.
27 “For He draws up the drops of water;
they distill rain according to its mist,
28 which the clouds drop down,
and drip upon man abundantly.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
or the noise of His tent?
30 See, He spreads His light upon it
and covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these He judges the people;
He gives food in abundance.
32 With clouds He covers the light,
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its thunder declares it,
the cattle also, concerning the rising storm.
Treasure in Earthen Vessels
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy we have received, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the secret things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by expressing the truth and commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost. 4 The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, the excellency of the power being from God and not from ourselves. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 and always carrying around in the body the death of the Lord Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be expressed in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that also the life of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death works in us, but life in you.
Psalm 44
For the Music Director. A Contemplative Maskil of the sons of Korah.
1 We have heard with our ears, O God,
our fathers have told us
what work You did in their days,
in the days of old:
2 how You drove out the nations with Your hand,
and planted others instead;
how You afflicted peoples,
and sent them away.
3 For they did not take possession of the land by their own sword,
nor did their own arm save them;
but it was Your right hand, and Your arm,
and the light of Your countenance, because You had favor on them.
4 You are my King, O God;
command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Through You we will push down our opponents;
through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow,
nor will my sword save me.
7 But You have saved us from our opponents,
and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we boast all the day long,
and give thanks to Your name forever. Selah
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out;
yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips
the king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
and He overthrows the words of the transgressor.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.