Job’s Former Blessings
And Job continued his discourse: Job 27:1Job 13:12Num 23:7
“How I long for the months gone by, Jer 31:28Job 1:1-5Job 1:10Job 7:3Jud 1:1Psa 37:28
for the days when God watched over me,
when His lamp shone above my head, Psa 18:28Jhn 8:12Eph 5:8Jhn 12:46Job 18:6Job 11:17Job 22:28Pro 24:20
and by His light I walked through the darkness,
when I was in my prime, 1 Psa 25:14Pro 3:32Job 1:10Job 15:8Psa 27:5Psa 91:1Col 3:3
when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
when the Almighty was still with me Psa 128:3Psa 127:3-5Deu 33:27-29Jos 1:9Psa 30:7Sng 2:4Sng 3:1-2Jdg 6:12-13
and my children were around me,
when my steps were bathed in cream Psa 81:16Job 20:17Deu 32:13-14Deu 33:24Gen 49:11
and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
When I went out to the city gate Deu 16:18Rut 4:1-2Zec 8:16Rut 4:11Deu 21:19Job 31:21
and took my seat in the public square,
the young men saw me and withdrew, Lev 19:321Pe 5:5Pro 16:31Rom 13:7Tit 3:11Pe 2:17Pro 20:8Rom 13:3-4
and the old men rose to their feet.
The princes refrained from speaking Job 21:5Job 40:4Pro 10:19Jas 1:19Pro 30:32Jdg 18:19Job 4:2Job 7:11
and covered their mouths with their hands.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, Psa 137:6Ezk 3:26
and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
For those who heard me called me blessed, Luk 4:22Job 31:20Pro 29:2Luk 11:27
and those who saw me commended me,
because I rescued the poor who cried out Psa 72:12Pro 21:13Exo 22:22-24Jas 1:27Deu 10:18Pro 24:11-12Psa 68:5Psa 82:2-4
and the fatherless who had no helper.
The dying man blessed me, 2Ti 1:16-18Isa 27:13Job 22:9Job 31:19-20Phm 1:72Co 9:12-14Act 9:39-41Deu 16:11
and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; Isa 61:10Isa 59:17Psa 132:9Eph 6:14Job 27:6Rev 19:81Th 5:82Co 6:7
justice was my robe and my turban.
I served as eyes to the blind Num 10:31Mat 11:51Co 12:12-31
and as feet to the lame.
I was a father to the needy, Pro 29:7Psa 68:5Est 2:7Job 24:4Job 31:18Pro 25:21Ki 3:16-28Deu 13:14
and I took up the case of the stranger.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust Psa 3:7Pro 30:141Sa 17:35Psa 124:6Psa 58:8Psa 124:3
and snatched the prey from his teeth.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest Psa 30:6-7Gen 32:12Jer 49:16Job 42:16-17Job 5:26Oba 1:4Psa 91:16Gen 41:49
and multiply my days as the sand.
My roots will spread out to the waters, Jer 17:8Psa 1:3Hos 14:5-7Job 18:16
and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
My glory is ever new within me, Gen 49:24Isa 40:312Co 4:16Gen 45:13Psa 103:5Psa 18:34Psa 3:3Job 19:9
and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
Men listened to me with expectation, Job 29:9-10Job 32:11-12
waiting silently for my counsel.
After my words, they spoke no more; Deu 32:2Ezk 20:46Isa 52:15Mat 22:46Sng 4:11Amo 7:16Job 32:15-16Job 33:31-33
my speech settled on them like dew.
They waited for me as for rain Hos 6:3Psa 72:6Zec 10:1
and drank in my words like spring showers.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; Psa 126:1Psa 4:6Psa 89:15Gen 45:26Luk 24:41
the light of my countenance was precious.
I chose their course and presided as chief. 2Co 1:3-41Th 3:2-3Gen 14:14-17Gen 41:40Isa 35:3-4Isa 61:1-3Jdg 11:81Ch 13:1-4
So I dwelt as a king among his troops,
as a comforter of the mourners.