What We Know About Job and Psalms

[four1298]

Job was an honorable man, as the first verse says. Why? It's not just because he endured. It's also the fact that he made a lot of children - ten, and fearlessly another ten after God healed him despite the fact that maybe some people might say that all the suffering he went through should make him think that perhaps life is not a gift and therefore not something that should be given. Some might also think, "what if God takes his children away again?" Job trusted God that he wouldn't do that again. Other people will have other excuses for not reproducing, such as thinking you can't afford it, but like Job you should have faith that he will provide for them, as Matthew 6:25-34 says. While Job had said he wished he'd never be born, it seems he repented of this or else why would he have had ten more children? We should be like Job, in these ways.

I think endurance is also a theme of Psalms. The following is a list of quotes from it about suffering; however, your suffering might not be as great as the authors', so why can't you endure like them? Although they suffer, they don't say they want to commit suicide.

Treat me nice for a change; I’m so starved for affection.

My mattress is soaked, soggy with tears.

I’m caught in a maze and can’t find my way out, blinded by tears of pain and frustration.

You’ve attacked me fiercely from every side,
raining down blows till I’m nearly dead

My sad life’s dilapidated, a falling-down barn

I’m feeling terrible—I couldn’t feel worse

treat your servants with kindness for a change

It's also worth asking why they suffered? I think it may be because of the suffering incarceration inflicts on men. It does seem the authors may have been worried about that. For example, it says, "Don’t shove me into the same jail cell with those crooks." Obviously the crooks in jail nowadays are the drug dealers, abortionists like Kermit Gosnell, crooked cops like those who raped Abner Louima, and others. I'll list quotes relating to incarceration.

By your sword, free me from their clutches;

Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel, throw out the false charges against me.

GOD frees prisoners—he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen.

Give groaning prisoners a hearing

God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom, but leaves rebels to rot in hell.

I also feel like this book is natalist(beyond Psalm 127). It says, "He gives childless couples a family."