Westminster Annotations, Job · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Vers. 1. WEary of my life] Or, out off while I live. upon my self] I will speak at mine own perill. If any inconvenience fall upon me for complaining, I will bear it my self.
V. 2. Do not condemn me] Use not thy absolute power to destroy me: seeing my conscience condemns me not for such a sinner as these men charge me to be, shew me why thou doest?
V. 3. Is it good unto thee] Profitable, or pleasing to thee.
that thou shouldest despise] To destroy thy creature by thy soveraign power, before he be convicted, or condemned.
the work of thine hands] Heb. the labour of thine hands. To shew no respect to me thine own creature.
shine upon the counsell of the wicked?] To make wicked mens counsells flourish. It may be he means, that God did uphold his friends that called him an hypocrite.
V. 4. Hast thou eyes of flesh] 1 Sam. 16. 7. Thou knowest the heart. What needest thou to enquire of my estate by tormenting me, as earthly judges sometimes are forced to do.
V. 5. Are thy dayes as the dayes of man?] Art not thou eternall? Knowest thou not things past, present, and to come in a moment? What needest thou to proceed by way of enquiry as men do?
V. 7. Thou knowest] Heb. It is upon thy knowledge.
Thou knowest that I am not wicked] Though thou thy self knowest my innocency, yet I must be punished.
and] Or, yet.
V. 8. Thine hands have made me] In this eighth verse, and those that follow, he describeth the mercy of God in the wonderfull creation of man: and thereon groundeth this conclusion, That God ought not to shew himself rigorous against him, Vers. 3. Psal. 119. 73.
made me] Heb. took pains about me.
together round about] Or, and wilt thou destroy me quite at once?
V. 9. thou hast made me as the clay] As brittle as a pot of clay, 2 Cor 4. 7.
V. 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk] Psal. 139. 14, 15, 16.
V. 11. fenced] Heb. hedged.
V. 12. thy visitation hath preserved my spirit] Thy fatherly care and providence doth preserve me, and without it I should perish suddenly.
V. 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart] Or, And hast thou hid these things in thine heart? These thoughts of bringing evill upon me thy creature.
V. 14. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquitie.] Or, if I had sinned, wouldst thou shut me up, and wilt thou not, &c. If I had committed some great sins, is it fit I should alwayes be kept in prison, as it were, with afflictions, and never be released? See notes on chap. 7. vers. 12.
V. 15. and if I be righteous] It is all one whether I be righteous or wicked: I can look for no ease, chap. 9. 15, 20.
will] Or, may.
V. 17. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me] Plagues are proofs of Gods indignation, and therefore are called his witnesses. See Ruth 1. 21. Job 16. 8. Mal. 3. 5.
thy witnesses] That is, thy plagues.
changes and war are against me] Psal. 55. 19. One sorrow comes after another upon me, as one army after another, for God hath infinite means to punish man.
V. 18. Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?] Chap. 3. 11.
Oh that I had given up the ghost] Or, I might have given up, &c.
V. 20. Are not my dayes few?] See chap. 7. 6. and 8. 9.
cease then] He wisheth that God would leave off afflicting him, considering his great misery, and the brevity of his life.
V. 21. to the land of darknesse] A description of the grave, from whence a man shall never return into this world.
V. 22. without any order] A place where is no varietie, or difference of degrees, chap. 3. 19. which is a great part of the beauty of this world.
and where the light is as darknesse] Or, And when it shines here, it is as darknesse there.