Job 30:20-23

Job accused God. God seemed so powerful. And Job was very weak. Job thought that God was using his great power to kill Job.

It seems strange to remember Job 2:3. The truth is that God was proud of Job. The devil had fiercely attacked Job. But Job continued to praise God. Whatever happened, Job would still trust God. Job would always be loyal to God. Job did not always realise that God was helping him. But soon God would send a man called Elihu to Job. And then God himself would speak to Job.

Job’s terrible troubles

v24 Nobody should attack a suffering man when he cries for help. v25 I used to sympathise with people who had troubles. I cared about poor people. v26 I hoped that I would have a good life. But, in fact, I have a terrible life.

v27 My pain never stops. I suffer every day. v28 The sun did not cause my skin to be dark. (My illness made my skin dark.)

When people gather, I cry for help. v29 They think that I am a noisy animal. I sound like a dog or a bird.

v30 But my skin is dark because of my illness. My skin burns, because my body is too hot.

v31 And I do not still sing. Instead, I cry, like someone who sings sad songs at a funeral.