Study Desk

God was always with me then and gave me light as I walked through the darkness.

Those were the days when I was prosperous, and the friendship of God protected my home.

Almighty God was with me then, and I was surrounded by all my children.

Because God has made me weak and helpless, they turn against me with all their fury.

God seizes me by my collar and twists my clothes out of shape.

I call to you, O God, but you never answer; and when I pray, you pay no attention.

What does Almighty God do to us? How does he repay human deeds?

God knows everything I do; he sees every step I take.

Let God weigh me on honest scales, and he will see how innocent I am.

If I did not, how could I then face God? What could I say when God came to judge me?

The same God who created me created my servants also.

Such a sin should be punished by death; it denies Almighty God.

Will no one listen to what I am saying? I swear that every word is true. Let Almighty God answer me. If the charges my opponent brings against me were written down so that I could see them,

I would tell God everything I have done, and hold my head high in his presence.

But a bystander named Elihu could not control his anger any longer, because Job was justifying himself and blaming God. (Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.)

He was also angry with Job's three friends. They could not find any way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong.

But it is the spirit of Almighty God that comes to us and gives us wisdom.

How can you claim you have discovered wisdom? God must answer Job, for you have failed.

I don't know how to flatter, and God would quickly punish me if I did.

But God finds excuses for attacking me and treats me like an enemy.