Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 33:27
He looketh upon men, and [if any] say, I have sinned, and perverted [that which was] right, and it profited me not;
27, 28. The restored sinner’s thankfulness:
27. He singeth before men and saith,
I sinned and perverted that which was right,
And it was not requited unto me;
28. He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life shall see the light.
On account of the construction the sense “singeth” is more probable than looketh upon of A. V., though the form of the word is unusual.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He looketh upon men – Margin, or, he shall look upon men, and say, I have sinned. Umbreit renders this, Nun singt er jubelnd zu den Menschen – now he sings joyfully among men. So Noyes, He shall sing among men, and say. Prof. Lee He shall fully consider or pronounce right to men, so that one shall say, I have sinned. Coverdale, Such a respect hath he unto men. Therefore let a man confess and say, I have offended. The Septuagint renders it, Eita tote apomempsetai anthropos autos heauto, then shall a man blame himself, etc. These various renderings arise from the difference of signification attached to the Hebrew word yashor. According to our interpretation, it is derived from shyr, to sing, and then the meaning would be, he sings before men, and thus the reference would be to the sufferer, meaning that he would have occasion to rejoice among men. See Gesenius on the word. According to the other view, the word is derived from shur, to look round; to care for, or regard; and according to this, the reference is to God, meaning that he carefully and attentively observes people in such circumstances, and, if he sees evidence that there is true penitence, he has compassion and saves. This idea certainly accords better with the scope of the passage than the former, and it seems to me is to be regarded as correct.
And if any say, I have sinned – Hebrew And says, that is, if the sufferer, under the pressure of his afflictions, is willing to confess his faults, then God is ready to show him mercy. This accords with what Elihu purposed to state of the design of afflictions, that they were intended to bring people to reflection, and to be a means of wholesome discipline. There is no doubt that he meant that all this should be understood by Job as applicable to himself, for he manifestly means to be understood as saying that he had not seen in him the evidence of a penitent mind, such as he supposed afflictions were designed to produce.
And perverted that which was right – That is, in regard to operations and views of the divine government. He had held error, or had cherished wrong apprehensions of the divine character. Or it may mean, that he had dealt unjustly with people in his contact with them.
And it profited me not – The word used here ( shavah) means properly to be even or level; then to be equal, or of like value; and here may mean, that he now saw that it was no advantage to him to have done wickedly, since it brought upon him such a punishment, or the benefit which he received from his life of wickedness was no equivalent for the pain which he had been called to suffer in consequence of it. This is the common interpretation. Rosenmuller, however, suggests another, which is, that he designs by this language to express his sense of the divine mercy, and that it means my afflictions are in no sense equal to my deserts. I have not been punished as I might justly have been, for God has interposed to spare me. It seems to me, however, that the former interpretation accords best with the meaning of the words and the scope of the passage. It would then be the reflection of a man on the bed of suffering, that the course of life which brought him there had been attended with no advantage, but had been the means of plunging him into deserved sorrows. from which he could be rescued only by the grace of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Job 33:27-28
He looketh upon men.
A penitential spirit
The text–
I. Presents to us the extent of the Divine inspection. He looketh upon men. Gods omniscience ought to make us adore and tremble. He watches over mens actions, and there is no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves from His eye. He looks upon men universally. He sees them all at one glance, in one view.
II. Unfolds the language of unfeigned repentance. Here God fixes His eyes upon one who says, I have sinned. The man who makes a confession like this is far better in the sight of God than he who says he has no sin, and deceives himself. Here is–
1. A confession of having by sin offended against God. Wherever the Spirit of God has begun to work upon the soul, there will be this sense of unworthiness, this conviction of sin.
2. A confession of having abused the best of blessings. I have perverted that which was right. That is, Thy holy providence gave me many and peculiar favours, which I employed to a bad purpose, or entirely neglected.
3. A confession of having experienced disappointment in the ways of sin. I have done all this, and it profiteth me not. Every penitent can testify that the way of transgressors is hard.
III. Discovers the triumph of retaking grace. This humble penitent who looks to the Redeemer, obtains grace in His sight; for the Lord–
1. prevents his soul from enduring eternal perdition.
2. Raises him to the everlasting enjoyment of Divine illumination. Learn–
(1) The richness of Gods pardoning mercy, extending even to sins of perverseness.
(2) The madness of impenitent sinners; they must be banished to the pit, never to see the light.
(3) The importance of imploring daily a penitential spirit. We sin daily; therefore beg always for mercy. (T. Spencer.)
Repentance
Three points arising out of the text.
I. The fact that God looketh upon man. This is the doctrine of Gods omniscience. Go wheresoever we may, whether in the crowd or in solitude, we can never escape from the eye of God. He sees the very thoughts of our hearts; He reads the motives from which actions spring. This is a very marvellous truth–it almost baffles our comprehension. The eye of God is not only upon us, it is upon the entire universe. This must be a necessary attribute of God. How should God govern the world if He were not able at one glance to scan the thoughts and actions of all mankind?
II. The character of a true penitent. This includes–
1. The personal consciousness of sin. Sin brought home to the individual, sin acknowledged–sin confessed as a burden resting upon the individual himself; not merely a burden shared in common with others.
2. The absence of all self-excusing. I have perverted that which was right. An insincere penitent will always endeavour rather to palliate his fault than otherwise; to extenuate his trespass, The true penitent is rather ready to aggravate than to extenuate the sins of which he is conscious.
3. Hopeless dissatisfaction. It profiteth me not. Every transgressor of God must be brought, at one time or another, to exclaim, It profiteth me not. Sin always comes with the offer of profit. The temptation to transgress would fall powerless if it were not accompanied with the bribe of some prospective advantage.
III. The blessed effects following true repentance. Two things–
1. Deliverance from condemnation He will deliver his soul from going into the pit. This speaks of full and complete forgiveness.
2. Translation to reward. His life shall see the light. He shall be translated to everlasting life. (Bishop Boyd Carpenter.)
God looking upon men
Whether God visits with affliction, with adversity, or prosperity, yet all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
I. He looketh upon man. As a Creator. As the Governor of the world. As a holy Being. As the Judge of men. As a compassionate parent looks upon his family.
II. The penitent man looking up to God.
1. I have sinned. This supposes reflection. I thought on my ways. This supposes self-abhorrence. Woe is me, for I am undone. This supposes godly sorrow, sorrow for sin. I have sinned. My sin has brought misery and evil upon myself, and exposed me to future punishment.
2. And perverted that which was right. These words may be considered in reference to the dispensations of providence, whether prosperous or adverse. They are perverted by man. Man perverteth his way as to opinion; as to moral practice; for interest or gain, as well as pleasure.
III. The merciful determination of God in behalf of the penitent. He will deliver his soul from going down to the pit, and his life shall see the light. These expressions are sometimes used for deliverance from natural death to life and health. Sometimes these expressions are used figuratively for deliverance from distress, and restoration to happiness. God will hear our cry, and deliver us out of all our troubles. (J. Walker, D. D.)
The penitent pardoned
True repentance begins in conviction, awakens contrition, leads to confession, and ends in conversion. Many encouragements are given to sinners to repent.
I. God sees the conduct of penitent sinners.
1. God looks upon men universally. Our power of vision is limited. God sees all things.
2. God looks upon men individually. No man can hide from God.
II. God hears the confession of penitent sinners. Many have sinned who do not admit their sinfulness; many confess their sins who do not forsake them.
1. The true penitent confesses his sins. The penitents confession is full, free, and sincere.
2. The true penitent acknowledges his folly. We have perverted our spiritual blessings.
3. The true penitent admits his disappointment. Sin is a great blunder. There is no satisfaction in sin.
III. God delivers the soul of penitent sinners. God knows the backwardness of the trembling penitent, and seeks to encourage him with the fullest assurance of pardon.
1. God saves the penitent from eternal death.
2. God rewards the penitent with eternal life. (J. T. Woodhouse.)
The penitents creed
There is the whole philosophy of penitence in the text.
I. The creed of penitence.
1. An absolute good and evil, right and wrong. There are those in whose sight the burden of a guilty conscience is but a bad form of hypochondria. While the world lasts, the penitents creed will express the conviction and reefing of mankind.
2. I have perverted that which is right. This is the second article of the penitents confession of faith. No man knows what I means, but the man who has felt himself isolated from God by transgression. According to the pantheistic philosophy, there is, strictly speaking, no such thing as sin. Man sins like a sullen dog, or a vicious horse.
3. And it profited me not. The wages of sin is death. If any other confession than this of the text were possible for a sinner in the long run, and after full experience of an evil way, it would simply mean that the righteous God had ceased to be the ruler of the world.
II. The confession of penitence. If any say, I have sinned. That implies fundamentally that evil is not of God. God has made a being capable of sin, but God has not made sin. Saying to God, I have sinned, is essential to complete forgiveness; on what ground of reason does this necessity rest? If a man is convinced, is not that sufficient? God demands confession.
1. Confession alone makes the penitence complete.
2. Confession alone re-establishes that filial relation, without which the penitence can have no lasting fruits,
III. The fruits of confession through the abounding mercy and love of God. The fruits here set forth are two fold. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. A glory shall gild its path, even through this weary wilderness of discipline. (J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.)
Jehovahs look of love
I. Gods merciful regard to man. He looketh upon man. The looking upon man is not of a general kind; it is expressive of that kind, benignant attention which has immediate respect to the welfare of its objects. It is not the scrutinising look of a hard and rigorous taskmaster, who feels a pleasure in finding out a fault; it is the look of a Father, who, though when He sees evil may not and cannot suffer it to pass unnoticed, desires to behold nothing but what is right, and affectionately fixes His eyes upon the least sign of a favourable kind in the conduct of His child.
II. What God expects from man. He looks to discover a humbled, penitent state of heart. All morality, and all that is called religion which is not founded on a sense of guilt, and which does not rise from humiliation for sin, is but a splendid delusion, a mere form, and shadow, and mockery of piety. There must be the full, open, frank acknowledgment of guilt. Confession is the first, proper, natural language of repentance. When your minds are deeply humbled, you will not only confess that you have sinned, but you will feel and acknowledge too that it profited you not.
III. The blessings which God imparts to those who comply with this demand. He will deliver his soul from going down into the pit, and his life shall see the light. It is not certain Elihu meant more than that humiliation before God would he the means of preserving Jobs life, and of restoring him to his former peace and prosperity. We can have no difficulty in giving to the language a much wider and more general meaning. Beyond the grave there is a deeper and more awful pit. But there is now no condemnation to the humble and believing penitent. (Stephen Bridge, M. A.)
God waiting to discover repentance, and to accept the penitent
1. Gods eye is fixed upon every individual of the family of man. The very opposite sentiment, the negation of this truth, was maintained by some of the most eminent heathen philosophers. Their notions of the Deity were such as led them to conceive it impossible that He should be in any way concerned with the things of this our world.
2. What God specially looks for is a full confession of sin.
(1) An acknowledgment of sins essential guilt, as a perversion of that which is right.
(2) Confession of the actual fact of sin.
(3) Acknowledgment of its disappointing and deceptive folly.
3. Such penitent confession shall turn to our unspeakable advantage. Learn then to view the confession of sin as a duty of the first importance. The language of confession in our text every living being has reason to make his own. (Robert Eden, M. A.)
The unprofitableness of sin in this life an argument for repentance
The great folly and perverseness of human nature is in nothing more apparent than in this, that when in all other things men are generally led and governed by their interests, and can hardly be imposed on by any art, or persuaded by any solicitation, to act plainly contrary to it; yet, in matter of their sin and duty, they have little or no regard to it. Of this every sinner, when he comes to himself and considers what he hath done, is abundantly convinced. In these words is a great blessing and benefit promised on Gods part, and a condition required on our part.
1. A penitent confession of our sins to God.
2. A true contrition for our sin; not only for fear of the pernicious consequences of sin, but from a just sense of the evil nature of sin, and the fault and offence of it against God.
3. Here is a description of the evil nature of sin–it is a perverting of that which is right. Sin is a perverting of the constitution and appointment of God, and of the nature and order of things. When we do that which is right, we act agreeably to the design and frame of our beings; we do what becomes us; but sin perverts the nature of things and puts them out of course.
4. An acknowledgment of the mischievous and pernicious consequences of sin. This is not only true as to the final issue and event of an evil course in the other world, but even in respect of this world and the present life, the practice of some sins is plainly mischievous to the temporal interests of men; that others are wholly unprofitable.
Reflections–
1. What has been said upon this argument ought particularly to move those who have so great a consideration of this present life, and the temporal happiness of it, that the practice of all virtues is a friend to their temporal as well as eternal welfare, and all vice is an enemy to both.
2. This likewise takes off all manner of excuse from sin and vice. It pretends not to serve the soul, and to profit our future happiness in another world; and if it be an enemy also to our present welfare in this world, what is there to be said for it?
3. All the arguments used to convince men of the folly of a wicked course, are so many strong and unanswerable reasons for repentance. Men make mistakes about repentance. Some make the great force and virtue of it to consist, not so much in the resolution of the penitent, as in the absolution of the priest. Some make repentance to consist in the bare resolution of amendment, though it never has its effect. (J. Tillotson, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 27. He looketh upon men] anashim, wretched, fallen men. He shines into them, to convince them of sin; and if any, under this convincing light of God, say, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and perverted the right – abused the powers, faculties, mercies, and advantages, which thou didst give me, by seeking rest and happiness in the creature, and it profited me not – it was all vanity and vexation of spirit; velo shavah li, “and it was not equal to me,” did not come up to my expectation, nor supply my wants: –
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He looketh upon men; either,
1. The sick man shall look upon and converse with mankind, his friends, or others, as he did before, and shall say, (as the following word is and may be rendered,)
I have sinned, & c., i.e. he shall confess to them that God was not to be blamed, but that he, by his own sin and folly, did bring that evil upon himself. And then he shall acknowledge Gods great goodness to him, and shall add what follows in the next verse, He hath delivered my soul, &c., and my life, &c., as they render it. Or rather,
2. God diligently observes all mankind, and their several carriages, especially in sickness and distress.
If any say, I have sinned; if there be any man that sincerely saith thus, God hears it, and will pardon and heal him, as it follows.
Perverted that which was right; either,
1. I have judged perversely of the just and right ways of God, censuring his proceedings against me as too severe and rigorous, whereas in truth I only was to be blamed. Or,
2. I have perverted Gods righteous law by bending it, and making it comply with my crooked ways; or, I have swerved from the right and good way of Gods commands; or, I have made crooked paths. So he repeats in other words what he said in the former branch of the verse, I have sinned. It profited me not; I got no good by so doing, as I vainly promised myself; but I got much hurt by it, even diseases, and griefs, and extreme dangers. This was the just fruit of my sins. It is a meiosis, whereby less is said, and more is understood, of which we have seen many examples before.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. he lookethGod. Rather,with UMBREIT, “Now he(the restored penitent) singeth joyfully (answering to”joy,” Job 33:26;Psa 51:12) before men, andsaith,” c. (Pro 25:20Psa 66:16; Psa 116:14).
pervertedmade thestraight crooked: as Job had misrepresented God’s character.
profitedliterally,”was made even” to me; rather, “My punishment was notcommensurate with my sin” (so Zophar, Job11:6); the reverse of what Job heretofore said (Job 16:17;Psa 103:10; Ezr 9:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He looketh upon men,…. According to our version, and other interpreters, the sense is, God looks upon men as he does on all men in general, their ways and their works; and particularly he takes notice of men under affliction, and observes how they behave; if they are penitent and confess their sins, he restores them to health, and does them good both in body and soul. But most carry the sense another way, and interpret it of the sick man recovered, who looks upon his friends and relations about him, and any others that come within his reach; of he goes about them, as Aben Ezra explains the word; or will accompany with men, as Mr. Broughton; or sets them in rows, as Gersom, in order, as at a levee, that he may the better address them; or he shall direct himself to them, as the Targum; or shall sing over them or before them, so Schultens t; in a joyful manner, in an exulting strain, express himself, as follows; for the phrase,
and [if any] say u, should be rendered, “and he shall say”; make the following confession of his acknowledgment of the goodness of God unto him;
I have sinned; against God and man, and that has been the cause of all my afflictions; I am now sensible of it, and ingenuously own it:
and perverted [that which was] right: have not done that which is right in the sight of God, nor what is just and right between man and man; have perverted the right ways of God, swerved from his commandments, and gone into crooked paths, with the workers of iniquity; and declined from, or perverted, justice and judgment among men;
and it profiteth me not; as sin does not in the issue; though it promises profit and advantage, it does not yield it; but, on the contrary, much harm and mischief come by it.
t “cantabit super vel coram”, Schultens. u “et dicat”, V. L. Beza, Montanus, Mercerus, Michaelis, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) He looketh upon men, and if any say.Rather, He looketh upon men, and saith, I have sinned, &c.: that is the confession of the restored sinner. Some render it, He shall sing before men, but hardly so probably or appropriately.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27, 28. THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED ONE He singeth unto men and saith,
“I have sinned and perverted that which was right,
And it was not requited unto me:
He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life rejoiceth in the light.”
“Openly, before all the people,” (Hirtzel,) he sings his short and comprehensive psalm of gratitude. Its minor note is the miserere of sin, its major note the triumphant view of the light of God’s countenance. Its closing thought is one of beauty; literally. “my [very] life sees in the light.” To see the light was, in the classics also, equivalent to live; while “leaving the light of the sun” was equivalent to death. Comp. the Iliad, Job 18:11. From going into the pit. See note, Job 33:18. His life shall see the light (See above.) The beautiful sentiment of Elihu is among the many of the “Elihu section,” which unexpectedly interweave themselves with the main body of the work; as, for instance, this with Job 10:21-22. See Excursus VI, page 197. Instead of forebodings of darkness, such as tormented Job, (Job 10:21,) the redeemed penitent shall walk in the light. On Job 33:27-28 see a sermon by Tillotson, “The Unprofitableness of Sin in this Life an Argument for Repentance.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
27. And say And sing. The verb is of the same meaning as in the inscription of Psalms 7; Pro 25:20, etc.
It profited me not It was not requited to me. The Vulgate had the correct idea: “I did not receive according to my deserts.” Grace, instead of justice, is meted out to him. The reader may mark the resemblance between the confession of the penitent here and that of Job 42:6.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
DISCOURSE: 485
THE NATURE AND EFFICACY OF REPENTANCE
Job 33:27-28. He looketh upon men; and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
GOD is often pleased to make use of affliction as the means of bringing persons to a right mind: and where he has sent any affliction as a chastisement for some particular sin, it is probable that on our repentance he will remove the chastisement [Note: Jam 5:14-15.]. But we must not always associate the ideas of affliction and punishment, or of repentance and recovery, so as to conclude every person wicked in proportion to the calamities that may come upon him. This was the error which occasioned the whole controversy between Job and his friends. They conceived, that, by visiting him with such accumulated afflictions, God designed to point him out as a hypocrite: and, upon that presumption, they exhorted him to repent, and assured him that on his repentance God would restore to him his former health and prosperity. In support of their argument they spoke many valuable truths; but they erred in the extent to which they carried those truths, and in the application which they made of them to the case of Job. The fact is, that no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him: all things come alike to all [Note: Ecc 9:1-2.]: and the inequalities which we observe in the dispensations of Providence will all be rectified in the day of judgment, which is on that very account denominated, The day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God [Note: Rom 2:5.]. We shall therefore drop that which we apprehend to be the primary meaning of these words, because in that sense they are not true to the extent that Elihu designed them. We doubt not but that the most righteous persons may be reduced by sickness, and that the most penitent persons may have their sickness continued unto death. Fully persuaded of this, we shall not insist upon our text in reference to bodily sickness and recovery, but simply in reference to the concerns of the soul. In this view of the words, they point out to us,
I.
The nature of repentance
Few consider properly the nature of repentance. It does not consist in a mere acknowledgment that we are sinners, or in a dread of the consequences of our sin; but in a deep and humbling view of sin,
1.
As unreasonable
[The law of God is right [Note: Psa 19:7-8.]; it is holy, and just, and good [Note: Rom 7:12.]. And whoever views its requisitions with an impartial eye, must of necessity confess them to be most highly reasonable. Who can doubt one moment the reasonableness of the creature serving his Creator; or of the sinner feeling gratitude to his Redeemer? Who does not see the propriety of having the bodily appetites in subjection to the nobler faculties of reason and conscience; and of governing our lives in reference to eternity, rather than to the poor vanities of time and sense? The most ignorant and most prejudiced person cannot but acknowledge that these things are right.
Now what is the life of the generality, but a direct opposition to all this, or, in other words, a perversion of that which is right? We speak not now concerning gross sins, but concerning that kind of life which even the most moral and decent live: they forget their God; they disregard their Saviour; they live as if they thought the salvation of their souls a matter of only secondary importance.
A penitent, when he comes to a just sense of his condition, views things in this light: he is ready to exclaim with Agur, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man [Note: Pro 30:2.]. He is amazed that God should have borne with him so long in the midst of his perverseness: and there are no terms too humiliating for him to adopt, in order to express his shame and self-abhorrence before God.]
2.
As unprofitable
[All expect that sin will profit them in some respect or other; and the gratifications purchased by it are considered as more than an equivalent for any consequences that may ensue from it.
This delusion often lasts for a considerable time: but, when a person begins to turn unto God, the scales fall from his eyes; he sees, that if he had gained the whole world, it would have been an unprofitable bargain for his immortal soul. He feels himself much in the state that our first parents were after their fall. What Satan had promised them was indeed true in some sense: their eyes were opened; and they did discern good and evil; but it was good which they had lost, and evil which they had incurred. Ah! how unprofitable did their sin now appear! for one taste of the forbidden fruit to sacrifice their innocence and the favour of their God! If we contemplate their feelings when they were driven out of Paradise, we shall form some idea of what a penitent feels, when once he comes to a just apprehension of his state. His folly appears to him even greater than his guilt. He now begins to understand those words, Madness is in their hearts while they live [Note: Ecc 9:3.]: and he feels the full force of that pointed interrogation, What fruit had ye then of those things whereof ye are now ashamed [Note: Rom 7:21.]?]
That we may not be discouraged by this view of repentance, let us contemplate,
II.
The benefits of it
We have before assigned our reasons for declining to notice our text in reference to a recovery from bodily sickness: on that subject we could promise you nothing with any certainty: but in reference to spiritual benefits, we do not hesitate to promise you,
1.
Deliverance from condemnation
[Besides the pit of the grave, there is also a pit into which sinners must be cast, even the bottomless pit, the miserable abode of Satan and his angels [Note: Rev 20:1-3.]. Into that pit your soul shall never come. The impenitent alone shall have their portion there. The word and oath of Jehovah are pledged to rescue you from thence. He has found a ransom [Note: ver. 24.]: the ransom has been paid: and God (if we may so speak) would violate his engagements with his Son, if he were to spurn from his footstool one who came to him in the name of Jesus [Note: Rom 3:26.]. But you need not be afraid; for this is his own gracious declaration: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [Note: 1Jn 1:9.]: and again, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy [Note: Pro 28:13.].
Perhaps from a retrospect of your past lives you may be led to fear that you have sinned beyond the reach of mercy: but there is no ground for despondency, even to the vilest of mankind: the blood of Christ is sufficient to cleanse from all sin, however heinous [Note: 1Jn 1:7.]; and the promises of acceptance through him are so extensive as to preclude all possibility of doubt to those who humbly rely upon them [Note: Isa 1:18. Joh 6:37.].]
2.
Exaltation to glory
The light of Gods reconciled countenance shall certainly be enjoyed by the penitent in this world; his light shall rise in obscurity, and his darkness shall become as the noon-day. But who can conceive of that light which he shall enjoy in the world to come? The highest joys which the soul can experience here, are no more in comparison of heaven, than a taper is of the meridian sun. There the sun shall not be our light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto us; but the Lord shall be to us an everlasting light, and our God our glory. Our sun shall no more go down, neither shall our moon withdraw itself; but the Lord shall be our everlasting light, and the days of our mourning shall be ended [Note: Isa 60:19-20.]. There may be many dark nights, and tremendous storms, before we arrive at the full consummation of our happiness: but the word is sure, that if we sow in tears we shall reap in joy [Note: Psa 126:5-6.].]
We may learn from hence,
1.
What encouragement we have to repent
[God represents himself in the text as looking upon men; he is looking continually to see if he can find an object towards whom he can exercise mercy consistently with the honour of his other perfections. The father, in the parable, is described as looking out, as it were, with an ardent desire for the return of his prodigal son, and as running towards him as soon as ever he beheld him a great way off. This gives us a just idea of the tender compassions of our God, who willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live. We have a still livelier representation of this in the Prophet Jeremiah [Note: Jer 31:18; Jer 31:20.] : and we may with great propriety conceive of God as looking wishfully upon us at this moment, and saying, O that they would hearken unto my voice [Note: Psa 81:13-16.]! Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be [Note: Jer 13:27.]? Be persuaded, my Brethren, that God is now waiting to be gracious unto you: and that if you turn unto him, he will have mercy upon you [Note: Isa 55:7.], yea, he will make his grace to abound even where sin has most abounded [Note: Rom 5:20.].]
2.
How just will be the condemnation of the impenitent
[Gods direction to every one of us is, Only acknowledge thine iniquity [Note: Jer 3:13.]. And what can he require of you less than this? Would you yourselves forgive an offending child, while he obstinately refused to acknowledge his fault? What then will you say to God in the day of judgment, when he shall refuse to admit you into the regions of light and bliss, and shall consign your souls over to that bottomless pit, from which you made no effort to escape? How pungent will be the recollection of those invitations and promises which you now despise! O do not by your obstinate impenitence make work for everlasting and unavailing sorrow. Do but call to mind the mercy vouchsafed to David: the very instant he said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord, Nathan was inspired to reply, The Lord hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die [Note: 2Sa 12:13.]. And this affecting incident David himself records for the encouragement of all to make supplication to their God: I said, I will confess my sin unto the Lord; and so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin [Note: Psa 32:5.]. Surely if such an example joined to the gracious declarations in the text do not lead you to repentance, your mouths will be shut in the day of judgment, and (whatever you may now do) you will acknowledge your condemnation to be just.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Job 33:27 He looketh upon men, and [if any] say, I have sinned, and perverted [that which was] right, and it profited me not;
Ver. 27. He looketh upon men ] He looketh to see when any will repent and return unto him. Now Christ’s looks are often operative, and cause that which he looks after. A stroke from guilt broke Judas’s heart into despair; but a look from Christ broke Peter’s heart into tears.
And if any say, I have sinned
And perverted that which was right
And it profited me not
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I have sinned. This is true wisdom. See note on Job 28:28. This is “the end of the Lord” (Jam 5:11), to which all was leading, and which is reached at length in Job 42:2-5.
sinned. Hebrew. chata. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
looketh: etc. or, shall look upon men, and say
I: Job 7:20, Num 12:11, 2Sa 12:13, Pro 28:13, Jer 3:13, Jer 31:18, Jer 31:19, Luk 15:18-22, Luk 18:13, 1Jo 1:8-10
I have sinned: etc. Gen 16:13, 2Ch 16:9, Psa 11:4, Psa 14:2, Psa 139:1-4, Pro 5:21, Pro 15:3, Jer 23:24
perverted: Ecc 5:8
right: Psa 19:7, Psa 19:8, Psa 119:128, Rom 7:12-14, Rom 7:16, Rom 7:22
it profited: Job 34:9, Jer 2:8, Mat 16:26, Rom 6:21
Reciprocal: Gen 6:12 – God Gen 42:21 – they said Gen 50:17 – they did Exo 2:25 – looked Lev 5:5 – confess Lev 26:40 – confess Num 5:7 – confess Jos 7:20 – Indeed Jdg 10:15 – We have sinned 1Sa 7:6 – We have sinned 2Sa 24:10 – I have sinned 1Ki 8:47 – done perversely 2Ki 18:3 – right in the sight 2Ch 6:37 – We have sinned 2Ch 12:6 – the Lord Neh 9:33 – but we Job 34:31 – General Psa 32:5 – acknowledged Psa 38:18 – For Psa 51:3 – For I Jer 3:21 – for they have Jer 8:6 – hearkened Jer 14:20 – for Jer 24:6 – For I will Lam 1:20 – for Lam 3:42 – transgressed Eze 18:23 – not that Hos 5:15 – till Hos 14:8 – I have Jon 3:10 – God saw Mat 3:6 – confessing Luk 15:20 – But Luk 22:61 – looked Luk 23:43 – To day Act 19:18 – confessed Rom 2:4 – goodness Rom 10:3 – submitted 2Co 7:10 – repentance Eph 6:1 – for 1Jo 1:9 – we confess
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 33:27-28. He looketh upon men God diligently observes all mankind, and the conduct of every one, especially of every one in sickness and distress. If any say, I have sinned If any one sincerely, humbly, and penitently confess and forsake his sins: I have perverted that which was right I have judged perversely of the just and righteous ways of God, censuring his proceedings against me, as too rigorous and severe; whereas, in truth, I only was to be blamed; or I have swerved from the right and good way of Gods commands, and have made to myself crooked paths; and it profited me not I got no good by so doing, as I vainly supposed I should, but got much hurt by it, and that both in body and mind, which was the just fruit of my sins. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit The pit of hell: iniquity shall not be his everlasting ruin; and his life shall see the light The light of this world, the light of the living, Job 33:30. His life, which was endangered, shall be restored and continued: yea, further, his life, his ever living and immortal soul, shall see and enjoy light, all good in the vision and fruition of God for ever.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
33:27 He looketh upon men, and [if any] say, I have sinned, and {s} perverted [that which was] right, and it profited {t} me not;
(s) That is, done wickedly.
(t) But my sins have been the cause of God’s wrath toward me.