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“My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct and the grave is ready for me.
Verse 1. Spirit. Hebrew “breath is corrupt,” ( Bible.) or spent. I cannot breathe without the greatest difficulty. Calmet.—Only. Septuagint “But I want the grave, and do not obtain it.” Bible.
Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.
Verse 2. Not sinned. That is, I am not guilty of such sins as they charge me with. Challoner.—Hebrew “the wicked were not with me” in friendship at any time. Prot. “Are there not mockers with me?” Bible.—Job was doubly afflicted, with corporal pain and calumny: yet hopeth in God. Worthington.
“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?
Verse 3. Fight. I am secure under thy protection. Hebrew “who will strike hands with me?” or stand bondsman for my debt? Proverbs 6:1. Who will take my place? You accuse me of weakness and of impiety: but how would you act, if you were treated in the same manner? Calmet.
For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.
Verse 4. Understanding. They will not answer for me. They are not of such a generous disposition; nor can they distinguish between the punishment of guilt and the trial of virtue. Calmet.
He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail.
Verse 5. He. My friend. Calmet.—Hebrew “speaketh flattery,” ( Bible.) or promiseth to caress me, while he neglects his own children. But the sense of the Vulg. and Chal. seem preferable. My friends speak as if they could do any thing, and as if no trial would stagger their resolution. But they durst not be in my situation for a short time. Calmet.—Like hunters, who have promised their children some prey, my friends will not, however, gain the victory over me. Menochius.
“But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.
Verse 6. Example. Prot. “a tabret.” Bible.—The people sing over my misfortune. Lamentations 3:14. I am represented as a victim of God’s just indignation. Calmet.—Septuagint “a laughter,” or laughing-stock. Bible.
My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.
Verse 7. Indignation of God, or of myself. Menochius.—Nothing. Hebrew “as a shadow.” Calmet.
Upright men will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
Verse 8. Hypocrite. If you condemn me, I shall comfort myself with the approbation of the righteous, and still maintain my station. Bible.—Men of sense and virtue will tremble at the judgments of God, and will never join the crowd of scoffers. Calmet.
Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.
Verse 10. Man. He offers to dispute with them again, and convince them of folly; ( Menochius.) or rather he here concludes his address to them, and invites them to change their preposterous judgments.
My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.
Verse 11. Thoughts, or fine projects of living happy a long time. Calmet.
They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
Verse 12. Day. Sleep flees from me. Menochius.—All is in confusion.—After. Hebrew and Septuagint “light is near in the face of darkness.” Bible.—I still hope for relief.
If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,
Verse 13. Hell. Seol. The region of the dead. Challoner.—Prot. “grave.” Bible.—But this text proves that there was a place of rest called hell. Worthington.—He speaks here chiefly of the body. Calmet.—Mors ultima linea rerum est. Hor.—“Death is the end of all.” Bible.—If I refrain from complaining, still I cannot expect to be restored to health.
Sheol is the place of the dead.
if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
Verse 14. Sister. I am nearly related to such things, and ready to drop into the grave, as my flesh is already devoured by worms. Menochius.
where then is my hope? As for my hope, who will see it?
Verse 15. Who. Hebrew “who shall see my hope?” I wish all might witness it. Bible.—But I expect no redress on this side of the grave. Calmet.
Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”
Verse 16. Deepest pit. Literally hell. Challoner.—Hebrew “We shall go down to the bars of the pit, when we shall rest together in the dust.” My hope may be frustrated by death; ( Bible.) or you, my friends, must also go to the house of eternity. Calmet.
Sheol is the place of the dead.