Job 9 - Prayer Tents

Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad

9Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H5592"Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God's sight?H3045H551H582H6663H4103If someone wanted to take God to court

, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times?H2654H7378H6030H259H5054For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?H2450H3824H533H3581H7185H79995"Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger.H6275H2022H3045H2015H6396He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble.H7264H776H4725H5982H64267If he commands it, the sun won't rise and the stars won't shine.H559H2775H2224H2856H35568He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea.H5186H8064H1869H1116H32209He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.H6213H5906H3685H3598H2315H848610He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.H6213H1419H369H2714H6381H455711"Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go.H5674H7200H2498H99512If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares to ask, 'What are you doing?'H2862H7725H559H621313And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea

are crushed beneath his feet.H433H7725H639H7293H5826H781714"So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him?H6030H977H169715Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy.H6663H6030H2603H819916And even if I summoned him and he responded, I'm not sure he would listen to me.H7121H6030H539H238H696317For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause.H7779H8183H7235H6482H260018He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.H5414H7725H7307H7646H447219If it's a question of strength, he's the strong one. If it's a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?H3581H533H4941H325920Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it

would prove me wicked.H6663H6310H7561H8535H614021"I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me—I despise my life.H8535H3045H5315H3988H241622Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That's why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'H259H559H3615H8535H756323When a plague

sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent.H7752H4191H6597H3932H4531H535524The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges. If he's not the one who does it, who is?H776H5414H3027H7563H3680H6440H8199H64525"My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.H3117H7043H7323H1272H7200H289626It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.H2498H5973H16H591H5404H2907H40027If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful,H559H7911H7879H5800H6440H108228I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.H3025H6094H3045H535229Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what's the use of trying?H7561H3021H189230Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye,H7364H7950H4325H1119H3709H1252H1253H214131you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me.H227H2881H7845H8008H858132"God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.H376H6030H935H3162H494133If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.H3426H3198H7896H3027H814734The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.H5493H7626H5493H367H120435Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.H1696H3372